Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-26
- CARCELY a National Guardsman
u in the District of Columbia Is not
vitality interested In the PROPOSE

in the District of Columbia is not
vitality interested in the PROPOSE
ton of Senator Galnnger to
hasten the construction of the
long-deferred splendid ediace which the
guard hopes some day to have for its
permanent home Senator Gallinger has
offered within the past week an amend
ment to the sundry civil appropriate n
bill which. If enacted. would result In the
start of the new armOry within q year.
The Senate public building committee has
approved 1t. The chairman OF the Senate
District committee proposes that para
graph be inserted in that bill expressing
the approval by Congress Of the plans Of
the special armory commission appointed
to prepare plans and specifications dedi
eating the site Of the old Pennsylvania
railroad station for the armory. The
amendment would appropriate $4,000 for
immediate use on total expenditure OF
s., $685. 600.
been interviewed on this vital subject has
expressed the earnest and prayertul hope
that the next year will see the armory
started.
I'VE ought to have fine armory." said
one officer. Here we have over LOO
guardsmen and our armories are really
q scattered collection Of rented quarters"
From an independent quarter comes the
suggestion that a splendid armory with
it's vast drill floor might solve the
balls.
i 4
Another legislative matter which at
tracted attention Of District National
Guardsmen last week was the militia pay
bill, which failed to pass the House
Thursday. It Is the firm opinion of the
guardsmen most qualified to know that
this bill will reappear in Congress next
session. The most interesting feature Of
the bill is the section which proposed to
allow National Guard officers from to
20 per cent of the pay of officers In the
regular army, and enlisted men Is per
cent of the pay of the regular army: this
in addition to any pay now authorized.
In order to get this into shape accept
able to many of the members of the
which made 1t necessary for all guards
men to take the oath Of allegiance. In
other words, as 1t was expressed by an
o11lcer: If Uncle Sam is to give us that
extra pay, then we should be willing to
do something for him."
However, the bill has failed for the
present. but the fact remains that 1t is
understood that service IN the District
National Guard bears with 1t the under
standing that the guard is ready for serv-
zee in wartime. either at home or in a
foreign country.
4
Many and interesting were the objec-
tons to this bill as set forth on the door
of the House Thursday. The bill failed
of passage because of a lack of a two
thirds vote. as required under a suspen-
sion Of the rules, although a majority
really voted for 1t.
One objection, by Representative Floyd
Of Arkansas. was the simple and oft
heard cry of too much cost" 1t was
estimated by Representative Stevenson
that the bilf would mean an expenditure
by the federal government of $4,000 600
at least every year. This was based
on the assumption that one-ha.f the men
In the guard would not reach the stand
ard, physical and other, as required by
the regular army.
Representative Floyd also objected to
the National Guard being too closely
AFFILIATED with the War Department.