Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 43 Part 1.djvu/390

 SIXTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 242. 1924. 359 limited to persons who served as soldiers and sailors of the United cagismmsmv ¤¤¤1i¤- States Army and Navy or Marine Corps and Revenue-Cutter Service m` between April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865, and of such State regiments as were called into active service and subject to the orders of the United States general officers between the dates mentioned, and have been honora ly discharged therefrom after such service; is hereby created a body corporate and politic of the District of Columbia, by the name of “The Grand Arm of the Republic," by which name it shall be a person in law, capable of suing and being sued, and of having and exercising all incidental wers as a litigant or otherwise as if it were a natural person, witlio power to acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or bequest, and to hold, convey, or otherwise dispose of property, real or personal, as may be necexary or calculated to carry into effect the patriotic, fraternal, and char- ~ itable purgohses of its organization. Sec. 2. e object an u of this corporation shall be to °bi°°‘ md P°’P°°°· perpetuate the name of “Tllfe grand Army of the Republic " and to preserve in coxgworate form said organization as now and hereafter maintained an conducted, and to thus provide and continue an agencéy and instrumentality through and by which its members, for and ming the remainder of their natural lives, may assemble and meet for the promotion of comradeship and social intercourse. The corporation shall not at any time engage in any business for pecuniary profit and gain. The principal office of this co ration shall be kept and main- °m°° md m°°°m“°‘ tained in the city of Washingtontflgistrict of Columbia, but annual, or other meetings, of its governing body and members may be held in any State or Territory of the Union, and the corporation shall have the wer to possess and hold property] needful or desirable for its Qects and purposes anywhere in the nited States or any of its territories or dependencies, consistently with the provisions of local laws pertaining thereto. Sec. 3. That the supreme governing and controlling authority m§."Z°i°$ g§$§?.$‘,l§ in said organization shall be the national encampment thereof, com- ¤¤"*°"°Y· posed of representatives from the several department encampments PWM as are now or may hereafter be organized: Provided, That there shall tnisnzcaouoncmnge never be any chan e in the plan of organization of said national ° "“""°‘ encampment that shall materially change its present representatwe form of government or render possib e the concentration of the control thereciign the hands of a liipifiled nunaléerk or xnla selfperpetuatin y not re resentative o the mem rs i a argc. ’ Sec. 4. That the qualifications for membership in salid organiza- mg pnvi°i°$ii2°'d°ht° tion, except as they are limited by the provisions of section 1 of. this Act, and the rights and rivileges of the members thereof, shall be such as are fixed iy the ordinances, rules, and regulations adopted by said national encampment. _ Acm.m_,s ,,,;,,1,,,,, Sec. 5. That the activities of said corporation shall  exercised by assgusteaagencae. through and by the following agencies, in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations now in force, or such as may be hereafter enacted by the national encapment thereof, namely: uml First. Through the national encampment, its omcers and com- ,,,§`§2$’ ""°““"" mittees. Second. Through such department encampments as may have been m},),f§_°'°m°“°°°°°m°` heretofore, or as may be hereafter, organized, their officers and committees. Third. Through sueh posts as may have been heretofore, or may P°°‘S‘ be hereafter, organized, their oiliwrs and committees. _ _ Mummy 0, mm Such department encampments shall be subject and subordinate 111 aes. authority to the national encampment, and such posts shall be also subject to such control, exercised through the department encomp-