The Washington herald., 1911-12-17

First Lieutenant. Signal Corps N G. D. G.
Probably the most important outcome
OF the medal and insignia presentation
at the Center Market Armory Friday
night was the statement by Brig. Gen.
r. X. Evans, L. S. A, Chief of the Dr.
vision of Militia Affairs, War Depart
ment, that the District Guard was de-
serving of and should have a better
armory.
Brig Gen. Evans presented the medals.
4 ribbons. insignia. and trophies to the in
dividual winners and company command
ers. After being introduced by Brig.
Gen. George II. Harries, commanding.
he briefly addressed the assembled OFF,
GERS and men. He expressed himself as
greatly interested in the District brigade,
as it is the only Federal National Guard
organization IN existence, and spoke
highly of its efficiency and conduct.
| Your Guard he said, ''is deserving
of a better place for drills and Is de-
serving of a new and thoroughly modern
! armory. 1 hope to see money appropri-
! ated for that purpose in the near future"
| That II is the intention of Congress to
do something in this direction is indicated
! by the fact that $500 has already been
given for plans. A New York firm Of
! architects was the successful competi-
tor, and its plans are now before Con-
| gress.
| Renewed efforts will be made during
| the present session to get the appropria-
ton through. So far as is known, sue
cess Is expected. Comparison of the pres
ent inadequate armories here by visitors
| to the Capital with the armories Of
smaller cities and towns Is constantly
made.
| new armOry would mean the needed
upbuilding of the District brigade to its
| full quota. The plans as drawn provide
for spacious company rooms, large drill
halls. bathing pools, modern gymnasium,
and every other feature that would make
the armory a clubhouse and would offer
! inducements to prospective recruits.
An order has been sent out by militia
headquarters suspending all school meet
ings and drills from December Is to jan
uary 2. This order affects the officers
and noncommissioned officers schools
and the weekly drills of companies. The
signal corps company will hold a drill
Tuesday night, however.
Before the present session of Congress
has come to an end, 1t is expected that
the Federal pay bill, which is designed
to give guardsmen the same rate of pay
received by the officers and men of the
| regular army, for duty rendered, will
have been passed. The bill will receive
strong support from every State in the
| Union.
The testimony of Col. William T.
Chantland, OF the Iowa National Guard. !
before q Senate committee last session, !
| is of interest and is regarded as one of !
many powerful arguments presented for
the passage of the bill. He said:
Il deny that there is an army Of $1,000 |
men that is useful for any effective |
service in the United States. assert that
! the regular army of the United States |
to-day is smaller in efficiency than our !
| regular army was in 1897, before the |
Spanish-American war, and assert that |
because when you take out the necessary |
tours of duty that We have now in the |
Philippines and in Alaska you cannot |
duplicate the 11.OOO men We have in |
Texas. That means there are not 1000 |
more men in the regular army: and |
assume that it is generally understood !
that the United States occupies a diff |
ferent position in the world to-day from |
| that which it occupied in 1897. Whether |
we are imperialists or not, we occupy |
that position. 1t Is a condition and not
a theory that confronts us on that propo-
sition.''
1t is Of interest to the District signal
corps company and to similar companies
of various States to know that Maj Gen. I
Leonard Wood Chief Of Staff of the
United States Army, has again taken
up Ine nlaIleT OF dDOliSnlnR Lle SO-CalleO
''Myer code used in signaling with
flags. The code was originally designed /
for communication between the army
and navy on joint expeditions, but Is
now regarded as obsolete. Maj. Gen.
Wood is in communication with Mr..
Meyer, Secretary of the Navy, and 1t
is possible that the matter will be Set
tied shortly.
The abolition of the Myer code has
been urged for nearly quarter of a
century, but every movement to bring II
about has ended with the reference of
the matter to the Navy Department In
view Of modern wireless communication,
1t is hoped that the Navy Department
will do away with this obsolete method
or that the War Department will act
Irrespective of the Navy.
1t is strongly urged that the army and
navy use the Morse and Continental
codes on the flags for inter communion
ton. These codes are much more rapid
than the Myer. While the new signal
corps drill regulations provide for the
use Of the Morse and Continental codes
on the flags. It is hoped to drop the
Myer code entirely.
Praise was heard on all sides yester-
day for the smooth way in which the
medal and insignia ceremonies Friday
night at the Center Market Armory were
carried out. Credit Is due entirely to
Lieut.. Col. Glendie B. Young. First In
fantry, N. G.. d. C., who was in COM
mand Of the AFFAIR.
Mai. F. Penrose Smith, N. G. d. C.,
retired, who is on duty at militia head
quarters. in charge of all outgoing ord
nance and quartermaster property, has
been continuously In the military service
since August 3. 1886 and on duty at mi
litia headquarters since 1900.
Maj Smith served with distinction In
the Spanish-American war. He went to
Cuba as quarterfnaster sergeant OF his
company. which became Company L,
First Volunteer Infantry, d. c.. and
served with his command in the trench
es during the siege Of Santiago. and was
present at the city's surrender.
He was taken III with yellow fever on
August 2 1898. and was sent to the divi-
sional field hospital. from which BY his
own urgent solicitation he was released /
In time to return to the United States