Show I I IA A WASHINGTON BYSTANDER I By B KIRKE I. I t. t SIMPSON WASHINGTON Unwavering de de- of or a group of now aged veterans vet vet- erans Crans of the Grand Army of the tho Republic Re lie- e- e public in Washington to tho the service of ot less fortunate comrades ades in arms arms who might find themselves home home- les lesa In the tho nations nation's capital has kept alive for tOl years a curious temporal J home for fOl these old soldiers almost in the shadow of or the capitol dome It is a sort of or veterans veterans' hotel where through the years ealS since i iwas It ii was founded by comrades of ot Washington Wash Wash- ington G G. A A. A 11 n. posts in 1870 thousands thousands thousands thou sands oC of aging fighting men of ot th the thep p past st many of ot then destitute have found lodging and food without cos cosi cost t for periods of ten days or even a month at a time while they bled with the details of ot pension claims VETERANS VETERANS' SHELTER Originally the tho homo home was sas maintained main main- tainted in rented quarters and with government aid of ot 2000 2000 or so sa a year As the numbers of ot the Civil war veterans dwindled with the passage passage pass pass- age of ot time the the governing board opened the home men of SpanIsh Spanish Spanish Span Span- ish war service in arm army navy or on marine corps an and now its shelter has been extended also to World I Iwar war veterans Also Aso under the more active urge of t f the men of ot 1898 and the tho American legion the naval hospital building build ing mw the site of ot which was acquired moro more than a hundred d j years ears ago has Inan be been n tUrned over ovet under a year 15 lease leae to thEn the temporary home corporation corporation corporation corpor corpor- at 1 a a. year yeal Congress denied the n ruvy's application to sell the ground no now worth perhaps I as ns to an original es- es cost of ot on plea lea of ot the vet vet- crams crans of If three wars walS who vho are joined In n rendering this service to destitute comrades But while two generations of younger veterans continue the ac- ac C- C ivo tivo management of the home bome and andt It t operates operate as a sort of oC civic center for or odds and ends of ot societies and lodges that form a a- a abo fringe about t deals deal of or patriotic war service a dozen fine old men of the still are the honored heads of ot the ution Its president for years has hascen been cen Byron W W. Bonney Bonne now 87 81 LABOR OF LOVE LOVEIn In illustration of the feeling these G G. G A A. R R. men have for their work Paul McGahan spokesman for the he American legion before congressional congressional congressional committees in the successful effort to continue the lease of ot the naval hospital resisted s. s su suggestions gg lons that hat the maintenance of the home bd be completely taken over ovel by the government i 1 We would hesitate to commit ourselves to a point wh where re they y would pass out of ot the picture he lie said speaking for both Spanish w war r rand and World war veterans With these hes old gentlemen it has been a labor abor of love There Is no question question ques- ques tion ion of ot money involved None of the officers of ot the te Home is on salary allowance or wage wage And more than that As long as there here remains a a single man of ot the SOs SO's physically able and willing to servo serve he will be president of the board of managers Upon that the j younger service men are agreed eYt eTt so have the old soldiers of ot the Civil war marched Into the past that of some veterans housed and fed ed at the home this year not two I score were Grand Army Arms men men |