Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-15


cuczko and rife practice on
the range at Congress Heights
was the principal work of the National
Guard last week. With the exception of
the two companies on the range, the en-
tire local brigade. including the Naval
Battalion. participated in the parade.
In order to break in the horses to work.
ing in artillery harness the 1st Battery,
Field Artillery, was ordered out for the
entire day Wednesday, and had a drill in
the morning preceding the parade. Much
trouble was experienced by the District
batterymen, as well as by many of the
mounted regular troops, with the slip
perry pavements, especially on Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Just before the line formed
a. light rain fell and made the streets
so slippery that several horses went
down. Private Therien, 1st Battery
Field Artillery, who was lead driver of
one of the carriages, was slightly injured
as his horse fell. He was taken to the
Emergency Hospital, where it was found
that his foot had been painfully bruised
but that no bones were broken. By the
time the battery had returned to the
armory Private Therein was back from
the hospital.
The battery and the Signal Corps have
steel lockers, which are now being in
stalled in The various locker rooms.
Companies G and II, LIST Infantry, were
at the rifle range last Tuesday and We'd
nesday, and Companies T. and T., 1st
Infantry, Thursday and Friday. Tomor-,
row evening Companies G and ID, LIST
Infantry, will go to the range, and We'd
nesday evening Companies \ and B. LIST
Infantry.
A retired officer of the National Guard,
who witnessed the parade last Wednes-
day, was impressed with the necessity
of the company commanders sizing up
their organizations.
1.-The interest have in the National
Guard of the District of Columbia, he
said. arising out of fourteen years
service therein, twelve years as all Off
Ger, impels me to make a friendly crlti-
cism on the appearance of the guard i'll
the parade of last Wednesday.
The physical appearance of the men
was fine, the uniforms and the equipment
were clean, and showed that much indi
vidual care is given them; the sizing of
the various commands and the nom
uniformity of the line of rifle muzzles
were very poor, the worst that l have
ever seen. This inexcusable condition
made the guard look bad in comparison
with the regulars, which it SO closely
followed.
II was standing directly in front of the
President when he reviewed the parade
point where the best or the worst ap-
pearance of an organization is enpha-
sized. 1t was humiliating to me to hear
the adverse criticism of the guard made
by many observers. especially SO when
l knew that the cause for their just criti-
cism could have been SO easily avoided.
1.-The appearance of company lines in
the recent parade was poor. This condi-
ton is a great injustice to the brigade
commander. who has done so much. and
is doing SO much for the development and
perfecting of the local soldiers
~
The adjutant general has sent out
to each commanding officer of the
guard a circular letter relative to the
semi acquisitions for equipme mt
or supplies:
GAS the object of these semi-annual
acquisitions is to provide the quarter
master with the necessary data to en-
able him to submit consolidated requi-
sition to the War Department, taking
into consideration amounts of articles
on hand available for issue, it will be
readily seen that failure of organiza-
ton commanders to make known their
wants can only be construed by these
headquarters into belief that no call
will be made for supplies during the
ensuing six months, and. if made can
not reasonably be expected to be hon
Ored.
IF any supplies are needed for per-
iod April to September 30. 1910, reuui-
sitionS will be submitted Immediately:
if no supplies are needed for this pc
Rod. written notice to that effect will
be sent to the quartermaster, N. G. d.
c., through military channels.
Attention is invited to paragraph g.
circular No. Z. headquarters d. c.
militia, 1909, namely:
go. In future no acquisitions for
equipment or supplies will be honored
during the month Immediately preced-
ing the annual encampment except for