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Show THE BULLETIN By ELMO SCOTT WATSON members of the V. F. V. are going back to the THIS year of their organization to hold their 37th national encampment. In case you dont know what V. F. V. stands for, its Veterans Wf men who have fought Foreign Wars, an organization of Jon foreign soil or in foreign waters under the Stars and Stripes. Though its officials would indignantly deny any basis for comparison with any other body of former fighting men, the V. F. W, is generally regarded as the American approximation of a French Foreign Legion A- association. For Its membership inelndcs colorful characters who hare carried the American ling to the far corners of the earth, soldiers of fortune who put on Uncle Sum's khaltl uniform to seek further adventure In distant places, men who distinguished .themselves In battle and then came back to civilian life to line high .In state and national coun- - Sixteenth massed along Street to cheer the twelve coiuiwniea of doughboys and two truois of horsemen and then followed them to the railway station. There, while waiting fur the train to pull out. Home of the soldier donned tlielr e Denverites overcouta and still smile at the recollection. Many of them had furnished tlielr own equipment and there was every old-tim- Ing, who had entered the Spanlsh-Amerlcn- n war In command of a regiment and emerged In coininund of a brigade. To him had come the Idea of banding together men who had campaigned together on foreign soil under the Stars and Stripes; who enjoyed a common background of friendship, privation He and mutual understanding. saw in the formation of auch a body the possibilities for social and patriotic benefits not only to members but alao to the country at large. Here would be a body of seasoned veterans whoaa fighting qualities might provide a bulwark for national defense; a source of leadership and guidance in times of peace. General Hale hud no way of knnwlngi on Iieceinher 12, IRIK), that among the men who gathered at his call, one wna destined to become United States aenator from Colomayor rado; another, the three-timof Denver; two. colonels In the World wnr; a dozen or more, leaders In business and Industry. Nor dbl the men. exchanging hund-elnswith their former buttle chief, sense any Idstory In the making. John S. Stewart Camp No. 1. National Society, Army of tlie Philippines, was funned that nlglit. The unit wna named In honor of the young Pueblo (Colo.) officer, senior captain of Company A, First Colorado Infantry, who was killed In a Marlqulna Valley engagement with Filipino lnaurrectna, March 2H, 1809. The memory of Captain SteAart was still fresh In the minds of Ida comrades when they assembled eight months after hla death to form their society. It continues to be a fresh and verdant memory In It la more than that John S. Stewart Post No. 1, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, has become a tradition known to every city, town and hamlet In the nation where a V. F. W. post exlsta. eventually put an end to the organization's existence If eligibility was restricted to the Philippine campaign and Boxer reliellion, enlarged Its scojie to Include all those who had luirticipated In any American hostilities on alien soil. Thus, soldiers, marines snd sailors who represented Uncle Sum In Mexico, In South American Imbroglios, on China seas and ut points where "the marines have the situation well In hand" were eligible. Within a short time, the World war added thousands to the V F. W. rosier. National Topics Interpreted by William Bruclcart the community In United States boasts F. W. at least ons V. In many of post e 1 GEN. IRVING HALE Firat commander of Stewart post, Denver,' and later commander-in-chie- f of the national organization pow known as the Veterans of For sign Wars. Tins picture was taken in the Philippines while General Halo was colonel of the Firat Colorado Infantry, U. S. V. Later he was adfor his vanced to brigadier-generservices at the Battle of Manila and was twice cited for gallantry In action during the Philippine campaign. al CIls. So hack to when the V. F. W. goes Its "birthplace" and holde Its annual convention In Denver, Colo on September 13 to 16 of this year It will recall again the Interesting story of the founding of that organization 37 years ago. It was a cold winter night in 1S09 when some CO men entered a basement door of Colorado's new state-hous- e. They were young men, lean and hard, all of them hearing the mark of tropical suns; some of them Jaundiced by fever or pale from the ravages of dysentery. But they all had a bond In common. They bad faced death and disease together. They had known the humid heat of the Philippine jungles. They could Imitate the sound of a whizzing Malay krisa or the whine of a Manser bullet Once Inside the building they bended for a door on which appeared the legend: "State Board of The new cap-ItCapitol Managers. building of a state which was Itself only twenty-thre- e years old was not completed at the time. Much of the Interior remained to be findome, now a ished; the landmark In the IVeat, had not yet teen planned. The board of capitol managers was housed In quarters jrhlcb boasted only one desk with im Colorado's Firsts. It was singularly appropriate thut the Veterans of Foreign Wars should have originated In Denver and have been started by former niemlters of the First Colorado Volunteers. For the First Colorado has been "first" In several other respects. Just 24 day after President McKinley had Issued his call for 125,000 volunteers to fight In the war with Spain, the state of Colorado had recruited its full quota of 1.0S0 officers and men twelve comimnles of Infantry and two troops of cavalry and there were till scores of enthusiastic young fellows who wanted to go and were disappointed because they had been left behind. In less than a month's time Camp m fur-line- gle d I Ilut if Denver smiled then. It bad good reason to be proud of lta sol- -' dlers later. For the Firat Colorado was the firat organization of volunteer to land at Manila on July 16 and the troops which hoisted the American flag above the captured Spanish forts on August 13 were headed by the First Colorado. Moreover lta commanding officer, Irving llale, who went to Manila aa a colonel, came back as a brigadier-genera- l because of his brilliant leadership In the attack on that date. The next year after that first winter meeting of the Philippine veterans In the Colorado capital, General Hale again issued an assembly call. This time It was designated aa the First Annual Reunion of the Army of the Philippines, and Included veterans from virtually every state from which troops had been sent to the Philippine Islands. This encampment lusted three days and a national organization was perfected. Mujor General Francis V. Greene of New York was elected coinumndcr-ln-chlef- , on recommendation by General lisle that a man from the more populous eastern centers he chosen head of the Infant body. ths larger population centers there are from two to half a dozen such units. Hundreds of Individual posta are larger than the original group which gathered to form the Army of the Philippines, with John S. Stewart camp its rallying point. Tha total membership grown from a group scarcely larger than enough to constitute a respectable guard mount now aggregatea ever 250,000 and la drawn from veterans of more than 50 United 8tates military campaigns on foreign eoll, dating from the Mexican war 1847 and including tha World war. From a body of purely local significance that could have passed a 'v V ' 'i RICE MEANS when Elected commander-in-chithe Veterans of Foreign Service and the Army of the Philippines merged to become the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Denver in 1913. He served as a colonel in the World war and was later United States senator from Colorado. ef Members of the First Colorado Infantry, U. S. V., crossing the Bridge of Spain and entering Manila aa the vanguard of the invading American army on August 13, 1898. given point, single flic, within half an hour, it will require nlmut six hours for columns of squad. hands, drum corps. Infantry, cavalry nnil artillery to puss the reviewing stands in Denver next September. In ndilitlon will be nil aerial demonstration to surpass anything ever seen at such nn event. President Roosevelt, recently Invited by Colorado's Governor Ed. C. Johnson, Denver's nia.vor, Benjamin F. Staple-toand the Encampment Convocation's clmlr man, William K. Gunther, will. In all probability, he present to address those at the 19.18 encampment of Veterans of Foreign Wurs. For the third time, during the week of September James E. Von Zandt will preside as of Veterans of Foreign Wars, lie will receive accolade from Ills comrades (with bonus money In their imckets) as tin man who, more tlinn any other one Individual, Is rcsMvnsib1e for passage of the Adjusted Comix'iisatloii ad, considered the crowning achievement In V. F. W. history. e Weorn Xri)Kiir Union. ns d. n n, gathplenty of room for a fair-size- d ering when extra chain were brought In. As the men strolled Into this room they were greeted by Ben Stapleton with the slow bashful grin thnt has since become fumlliur to hundreds of thousands of men all orer the United States. In later yeurs he would become known as the thrice-electeInayor of the city of IVnver but at that lime he was known ns a former qmirlerinnster sergeant of the First Colorado Volunteers. Another limn who greeted them was Gen. Irving llale, nn electrical engineer bj prwr,.!t,si()i and q goidicr by train- d 2 Alva Adams, named In honor of the governor of the state, had been built near Denver. But six days wna all the time that the First Colorado Volunteers had In which to drill as a nnlt before their colonel, Irving llale, led them on the march down Sixteenth street to the Union station to entrain for aervlce In the Philippines. No doubt thnt historic march will lie recalled when the V. F. IV.'s hosts march Denvers through streets at the encampment this fall. On that day, May 17, 189S, business was susiiended for the day while Denver turned out to speed its soldiers on their way. Thousands flSUOlhliSl1!'. Kwinmnwn onl. held In 1013. Here s consolidation was effected, and Itlce W. Means of Denver named commander-in-chief- . Under his leadership, a referendum vote by the membership was taken, and he Issued General Order No. 10 which designated the merger as; "Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States." This title was ratified at the Pittsburgh encampment of 1914; and the eligibility clause remains today essentially as agreed upon In Denver 35 years ago. From that time, Veterans of Foreign Wars grew with amazing speed. The founders, recognizing that age of the membership would warp and woof. There will be olV line Democrats who will do aa Senator Copeland of New York has donet take a walk. Alfred E. Smith la not going to support the New Dealers not will a great many of hla followers. So, camthe for Jockey each party will paign. The tumult and the shouting It la obvloua that to defections of one kind oi and the blistering, withering fire of another. politics, have begun. line finish It la g long way to the Now, concernlrg mistakes that have where the checkered flag falls for the winner of the race. But the big fight been made: Chairman Farley made a bad misIs really on and It la Interesting aa when he said that Alwell as significant to note how it take politically fred M. Eandon was has started. Some just the little- sure sign that party It la always known governor of Mistakes leaden respect and fear their oppoprairie-state.a typical nents when they start a campaign That remark lias Iwen rising Is with a declaration that the enemy to haunt the Democratic chairman alweak; that Ida selection resulted from most dally since ft escniwd from hla chicanery or bosslsm, or that the par- lips, and unless I uilsa my guess be ticular candidate selected has been will hear It repeated, thrown Into hla put up as a sacrifice. That Is what teeth, so many times between now and has happened already In the current November that the words will give campaign, and you can expect It to him a stomachache equivalent to secontinue because It Is stating no cret to 'disclose that the New Dealers green apples. The reasons this remark was a se-- . fear Gov. Alf M. Lnndon of Kansas, rious blunder are two. First and forethe Republican nominee, and that the moat Is that every state In the Union Republican leadership, beneath the has justified pride of Its rightfully surface, are wishing for a clairvoyant people, Its commerce and industry and or crystal gazer to tell them how Its future prospects. Every state fee la much of a chance 'they have to resentment when its caFranklin D. profound beat President-candidat- e to do great things Is questioned. pacity Roosevelt. Consequently, when Mr. Farley catalOf course, no astute political obogued Kansas as a typical prairie-statserver would dare predict at. this and Its governor as little-knowtage of the game who the winner there was a surging tidal wave of rewill be. On the other hand. It Is sentment, and It wna not confined to part of the psychology of the game of Kansas alone. politics for politicians to claim everyThe second reason why Mr. Farley thing in night Yet, I know that each remark cut the wrong way was that side expects a real battle, n horse Mr. Farley Is a New Yorker and a race. The November result Is pretty There Is something reTammanyite. Ukely to be determined by events of pulsive to the millions of the next two months. At the end of about Tammany, and a very thnt time, trends will be evident and great many residents of prairie state some appraisal of the campaign will have objected to the attempt of long be possible. In the interim, claims certain New Yorkera to "run and high sounding phrases will be of- for the whole United States. things'" fered by the basketful and enthusiasm Another mistake that has been will be promoted. Yet, the end, the made, really a series of mistakes, Is result, will not begin to be evident the coercion that has been permitted antll afterward because this Is the to go on among those receiving relief. season for the tumult and shouting. It la not exactly fair to charge Mr. I cannot concur In the claims al- Farley and President Roosevelt with ready advanced by . Postmaster General-- these, yet I am Inclined to believe Farley that the elec- they could have prevented local tion Is In the beg for Mr. Roosevelt Democratic politicians from attemptany more than I can believe thnt ing to force relief clients to vote the Chairman John Hamilton of the Re- Democratic ticket That condition haa publicans la equipped with special obtained in as many aa fifteen states. foresight enabling him to say that It is one of those things In politics Governor Lnndon Is s sure winner. that naturally causes a revulsion of I said above that the campaign has feeling, yet it Is one of those things nQ of the appearance of a horse race with which the leaders possibly may and a close one. To that extent It is hare had nothing directly to do. The a condition much more favorable to fact that they might .have prevented the Republicans than obtained three It and did not Is accepted by tha months ago when, si I recall, I sug- average voter In exactly the same gested that If the election were held light as though a written order direct at thnt time, Mr. Roosevelt had a 0 lug such procedure had been issued. advantage over anybody the RepubThe handling of the tax question by licans could name. To say now, there- the administration In this session of fore, that the race probably will be congress has not been of a character dose necessarily Indicates two things: too much praise. It haa unification of Repnblicnn strength, and warranting alienated many Influential persona some mistakes by the Democratic lead- who might otherwise have supported ership (one may properly Inquire Mr. Roosevelt. Of course, in the end what has brought about the unifica- the President can say that he wanted tion of the Republicans). The answer additional fnnda In order to start the seems rather obvious. It Is that the balancing of the national budget, but Republican party has been reorganI know of a great number of Demoized from tip to toe. The reorganizacrats In congress who have been thortion haa been more sweeping and more displeased by the White House effective and the result much more oughly Insistence for a reform tax law rathsatisfactory to the country than most er than a revenue law. It seems to political observers had any reason to me, therefore, that a considerable expect I say satisfactory to the amount of campaign material will be country because the Republican party from this fact. la a major political unit and, though developed so It goes with Democratic mis'And a at present minority party, will come takes. back to power some time. The Demo-crat- e have been a minority party, and On the other side of the picture, the the course of human events has witnessed It restored to power. So the Republicans can make mistakes yet, of them. plenty people have a stake In either party, On the They have an ad- and whichever one proceeds to ImOtherHand vantage over the prove Its political structure Is giving Democrats In one something of vital value to the counhave not been charged they regard: aa whole. a try with the responsibility of government years, The Democratic attack on the Re-- i for the last three and one-hal- f will not hnve to answer publicans for the last sixteen years and therefore It has been concen- - for mistakes In administration. In the hands of the Republican lies O. O. P. trated to a large managers, therefore, to prevent poHouse tent on the charge litical mistakes between now and electhat the Republicans were Chairman tion if they are capable of so doing. Farley has continually harped on that They have started out with an offenalleged condition. When the Repub-llcan- a sive campaign and have an opportu- . did their house cleaning job at nity to continue It, whereas the Dem-Cleveland, they took away an Impor- ocrats can conduct an offensive camtant Issue from the Democrats, but paign only so long as they can avoid even so some of the Democrats and entering Into a defense of Roosevelt some Independents, like Senator George New Deal policies. I understand that the Democratic Norris of Nebraska, refused to acnational committee la loaded to the cept the purging as genuine. Senator Norris disclosed his atti- dashboard with material for attack, tude very definitely the other dny but fiom this stage of the battle It when he broadcast a radio sHech. He seems quite apparent that they are to need plans for defense as employed the time-worallegation going that the Cleveland convention was well ss offense, and they will not have dominated by special Interests," snd enthusiastic support from some spots that the platform adopted there was In their own army. The Democrats are prepared to atplainly reactionary." Senator Norris has not supported a tack Governor Landon on the theory Republican candidate for 12 years, al- thnt the country cannot feci sura of six years h!s plans and policies; that he has though he ran for ego as a Republican. He believes In done nothing to ennhle the country to Mr. Roosevelt and insists that Mr. appraise 1dm and that there Is no asRoosevelt alone ean save the country. surance, In event of hla election, that It la to be assumed also that Mr. he Is a Mg enough mnn for the Job On the other Roosevelt will have the support of the of Chief Executive. LaFollettea, Senator Bob and Guv-- j hand, the Republicans can counter-attacernor Phil, In Wisconsin. These men, by using the language of Senator however, have labeled themselves as Coielund, New York Democrat, who Progressives, and have not carried the declared that no mun nor parly disparty label of either the Democrats regarding its pledges was to be trusted, and right there Is where the New or Republicans. There will be others of the same Dealers must begin to CO-4- Meantime, and during successive years, various other foreign service groups sprang Into existence. They were called "Veterans of Foreign The Philippine War VetService, erans," American Veterans of the Philippine and China." At Denver, for a third time, a convention was d C Chairman How V. F. W. Was Named. ol gold-leafe- Color Guard before headquarters of the First Colorado Infantry, U. S. V, at Manila, following the battle in the Filipino capital, showing the bullet-tocolors. The men are H. P. Denniss, Dick Homer, E. A. Mead and R. M. Adams. style of coat, from yellow oilskin tickers to overcoats of all the things to be taken along on a campaign In a tropical Jun- IX Washington. The Republicans and the Democrat! have their Presidential tickets. The All Set for elephant and the Big Race donkey have their Today,, practically svery Washington, National Praaa Building 11-1- I i k C Wvvlrrfl Nvwfri tii-v- I'n ta |