REPORT OF NATIONAL COUNSELOR OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL COUNSELOR, W.R.C., GEORGIA WADE MCCLELLAN, National Secretary, W.R.C. Madam: In compliance with our Rules and Regulations, I herewith submit my report as Counselor for the past year. Realizing the great honor conferred upon the Department of Minnesota and upon me, personally, by the National President, in appointing me her personal adviser, I accepted this appointment fully appreciating the confidence thus bestowed; and I trust the bonds of friendship so long existing between us have been strengthened by our close and intimate relationship. I have endeavored to give every subject presented to me my very best thought and most careful consideration, so that I might prove myself a real aid to the National President and be able to fill the requirements of the office. Many perplexing matters have been presented, over which we have spent much time in consultation, and which we trust have been most amicably settled, with a full measure of justice to all concerned. The following questions have been answered according to my interpretation of the law and have been approved by the National President: QUESTIONS REFERRED. Question 1. Does a Past Department President retain her honors when her Department is remanded to a Provisional Department? Answer. She does. Question 2. "Department Presidents may grant a special Dispensation to a member out on transfer (but not within reach of another Corps), permitting her to be considered a member of the Corps from which the transfer was taken, until such time as she shall be able to present herself to some Corps for admission by transfer." If that Dispensation is granted, does it give the member all the privileges of a regular member? Answer. In my opinion, the above is a measure not designed to restore privileges to a member, but designed only to save to the Order one who desires to remain in the Order, but who, by her remoteness from any Corps, is in danger of finding herself outside by reason of an expired transfer card becoming an Honorable Discharge. A member to whom had been issued such Dispensation would, in my opinion, be a passive member only of the Corps granting the transfer card during the life of the Dispensation. Question 3. Can a National President authorize a Department President to retire a Corps upon its number, meaning that said Corps retain its Charter and number but sever its connection with its Post? Answer. She can not. We have no law to bear out such procedure. Question 4. Can a person residing in one Department make application to join a Corps in another Department, be balloted upon by that Corps but be initiated by a Corps in the Department in which she resides, and by that initiation become a member of the Corps to which she applied for admission in the other Department? Answer. A person can join a Corps in any Department. The Woman's Relief Corps knows no State lines,-Beath's Blue Book, page 75, 1902 edition, Decision 7, Opinion 7,-but a person must be initiated into and by the Corps to which she makes application. Question 5. Must the password be taken at a meeting that is called a reunion of Corps? (They have no Districts, just meet where the G.A.R. meet in reunion.) Answer. Password must be taken whenever Ritualistic work is done. Question 6. Can women residing in one city be organized into a Corps to be auxiliary to a Post in an adjoining city? Answer. They can, providing it is agreeable to the Post. Question 7. Are all official communications received by a Department President, pertaining to particular cases that have been submitted by her to the National President for her opinion, Department property, and do they revert with office? Answer. They do. Page 137, Red Book. Respectfully submitted in F., C. and L. LODUSKY J. TAYLOR, National Counselor. Madam: In compliance with the requirements of our Order, it affords me much pleasure to submit to you, and through you to the Twentyeighth National Convention, a consolidated report of the past year's work regarding instituting and installing. Appreciating the honor conferred upon me and the Department of Iowa by my appointment, I have tried faithfully to perform all the duties required. Many personal letters have been written to Instituting and Installing Officers and Department Presidents in the interest of organizing new Corps, and many letters of interest with the spirit of upbuilding have been received; and while if all the seed sown has not taken root, I believe the results will be obtained eventually, and I sincerely thank those who have assisted me in the efforts of increasing our new membership. Fifty-three Corps have been organized, with Charter membership of 1,182. New York and Kansas lead with largest number of Corps organized and largest new membership: Kansas, with ten Corps and two hundred and five members; New York, with nine Corps and two hundred and eleven members. All Departments have been successful toward strengthening the weak and have brought to life many delinquent Corps and deserve recognition. Following the precedent of former years, the "Circular Letter No. 1" and "Letter of Information" were issued and sent to Department Presidents and Instituting and Installing Officers with instructions for them to mail to the Grand Army comrades in their Department where Corps might be organized. WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS, AUXILIARY TO THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. OFFICE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTING AND INSTALLING OFFICER. 803 EUCLID AVENUE, DES MOINES, IOWA, Dec. 1, 1909 To Comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic: The Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, is organized: I. To specially aid and assist the Grand Army of the Republic and to perpetuate the memory of their heroic dead. II. To assist such Union veterans as need our help and protection, and to extend needful aid to their widows and orphans; to find them homes and employment, and assure them of sympathy and friends; to cherish and emulate the deeds of our army nurses, and of all loyal women who rendered loving service to our country in her hour of peril. III. To maintain true allegiance to the United States of America; to inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country among our children and in the communities in which we live; to encourage the general observance of National Anniversaries and Flag Day, and of universal liberty and equal rights to all. HOW TO ORGANIZE. I. All women of good moral character over sixteen years of age, who have not given aid or comfort to the enemies of the Union, are eligible to membership in the Woman's Relief Corps. II. Applications for charters must be made on regular blanks, furnished on application by Department or National officers, and must be signed by not less than ten women eligible to membership, and indorsed by the Commander of the Post to which it is to be the auxiliary. III. Necessary supplies for fifteen members or less can be obtained for ten dollars, which amount, in all cases, must accompany application for charter. IV. Charter members must pay the same admission fee as members admitted on application, one dollar and fifty cents, which includes price of badge and a copy of Rules and Regulations. auxiliary. V. Each Corps must bear the name of the Post to which it is VI. Only those obligated on the day the Corps is organized can become charter members, except should any have signed application for charter and were unable to be present at organization they may be initiated within a month and have their names enrolled on charter. VII. A careful selection of charter members will insure success. VIII. Comrades of the Grand Army, if you have no Corps, we earnestly solicit your aid in the organization of a Relief Corps auxiliary to your Post. Give us your hearty coöperation, and your Post will be benefited by the assistance of the Corps in your relief work. Any further assistance or information will be cheerfully given by either Department or National Instituting and Installing Officer. Respectfully submitted in F., C. and L. MARIE L. BASHAM, National Instituting and Installing Officer. Approved: JENNIE IOWA BERRY, National President. Official: GEORGIA WADE MCCLELLAN, National Secretary. |