1925 NEC Minutes
Pages 244
(The question was called for, and the motion prevailed.)
The next order of business is the request of Theodor Petersen Post, Minnesota Department, to retain their Red Artillery Standard.
THEODOR PETERSEN POST – RED ARTILLERY STANDARD.
FREDERICK D. McCARTHY (Minnesota): Theodor Petersen Post, Minneapolis, is the first post organized in Minnesota, and I think the records of the national organization show it was one of the first seven posts to obtain a charter. The post was named after Theodor Petersen, in honor of the first Minneapolis man killed in the war.
The background of the post is the 151st Field Artillery, of which organization Petersen was a member, and the post has carried out its sentiment by electing as their first post commander the commanding officer of Petersen’s battery. In the background of the membership of that post you will find the Mayor of Minneapolis, who was a colonel in that regiment.
To carry out this sentiment, when the idea first came up of post banners, they adopted, to carry out their design, the red banner, in accordance with the artillery standard. Subsequent to that time, long afterwards, this organization saw fit to establish three—
Pages 245–246
... colors, red for national; blue for the post; and white for the department. This is the only post in the country that probably has any such a background as that, and they ask that an exception be made in their case and that they be permitted to retain their red standard for the reasons that I have stated.
I might add that they went along for several years with this red standard and nobody raised any question and nobody would, until they got a very conscientious post commander who took the matter up with the national commander, and he was forced to refer it back with instructions to present it here.
A beautiful sentiment is back of this thing, but these men will naturally give it up unless they are sufficiently authorized to retain that standard. I move that an exception be made in this case, and that they be authorized to retain their present standard.
(Motion seconded.)
ASA W. CANDLER (Georgia): I would like to rise to a point of order. I think this is all out of order because we ratified all of those cases that occurred prior to the Minneapolis convention, ratified all of those actions; just the same as some posts having honorary members; we did that after the Minneapolis convention.
J. MONROE JOHNSON (South Carolina): Whether they have the right or not, I insist on the motion. (Laughter)
CHAIRMAN DRAIN: Gentlemen, you have heard the motion which has been seconded. Are there any remarks?
(The question was called for and the motion prevailed.)
