Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 210, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1914 — PALMER ELECTED GRAND ARMY CHIEF [ARTICLE]

PALMER ELECTED GRAND ARMY CHIEF

G. A. R. Closes Firty-Eighth Encampment at Detroit With Election of Officers.

Detroit, Sept. 4.—Comrade David J. Pahner, of Washington, la., member of the Bth and 25th lowa regiments in the civil war, was this afternoon elected commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic at the closing session of the 48th national encampment. Washington, D. C., was unanimously chosen for the encampment place next year. There were several candidates in the race for commander in chief but most of them withdrew at the last minute and Mr. Palmer had no serious opposition. Other officers elected were:

Senior vice commander, J. B. Griswold, Grand Rapids; junior vice, F. W. Conners, Dallas, Tex.; surgeon general, L. S. Pilcher, Brooklyn, N. Y.; and chaplain, Orville J. Nave, of California.

A.committee of past commanders was appointed to frame a congressional bill providing for the retention of all civil war veterans in pub lie employment, irrespective of their age. The resolution provided for the appointment of the committee and was received with much applause by the aged soldiers. Another opposed any change in the national flag.