The Washington herald., 1912-02-24
PRESIDENT GUEST
OF LOCAL MI[|T|A
Makes Informal Call at the
Armory Of District Ma
tional Guard.
He URGES ENLIsTMENTs

For the first time since he was made
Chief Executive Of the nation. President
Taft yesterday afternoon was the guest
Of the First Battery Of Field Artillery.
District National Guard. In it's remodeIed
and newly painted armory, in Missouri
avenue northwest.
Despite the full-dress uniforms Of the
militiamen and the military ceremony
which they extended to their Com
mander-in-chief. the President made the
call informal. and after making brief
address he walked through the Mall TO
the White House. accompanied by Mai
Butt and two Secret Service men,
Greets First Battery.
The President was greeted by Capt.
shannon upon his arrival The big
doors leading to the asphalted ground
floor of the armory, where the guns are
kept. were open, and the President walked
right into the interior. where the bat
terry was standing at attention. The
President recognized a number of visit
ing oficers and greeted them with hand
| shakes.
A canvass gun cover had been placed
on the asphalt in front OF the battery
for the President to stand on, but he
either did not see ii or ignored II. While
be stood IN front OF the militiamen
glancIng up and down the line, before
speaking an aged colored man. passing
in the rear alley, stuck his head through
the open door and created smiles by the
remark. "Lordy. watts a-goin' on hyer?"
The Presidents remarks follow:
young Men:
Glad In rnref yOtt tn
see that you have enlisted in the battery
of the National Guard Congress has
appropriated money for the purchase OF
the latest and best approved pattern
OF light artillery to be used by the Ma
tional Guard in order that should emer-
geney arise, calling for the defense OF
the country. we shall have men skilled
in the use Of these new guns and able
to take their place in the ranks as part
OF the light artillery force of the nation.
There is a tendency in some quarters
to discourage enlistments in the Ma
| tional Guard This is wrong and un-
patriotic. / wish to congratulate you on
the patriotic spirit which leads you to
give up certain pleasures that you might
enjoy. and devote yourselves to the drin
and discipline and performance of mill
tary duty Should occasion arise, and
you be called TO defend your country,
you can be sure that your skill as artil-
lerymen will be Of the greatest value
to the nation.
II sincerely hope that you may have
an improvement in your quarters so that
you can drill inside in winter. as do some
other batteries"
After bidding Capt. Shannon Eood-by.
the President walked out to the street
and cut across in front of a car to the
path entering the Mall. He passed
through an excavation from over rthich j,
. h. old fwft aNV
and covered his shoes with mud. The
President walked the distance OF more
than a mile TO the White House ct an
unusually rapid pace and seemed in fine
spirits, laughing and joking with his aid.
He reached the executive offices Just as
| ntghtfal succeeded dusk.
"Among Those Present"
Among those present when the Presi-
dent reviewed the battery were the fol-
lowing:
Capt. J. Harry Shannon.
First Lieuts. LOUIS C. Yogt and George
G. Wilson,
Second Lieuts. George A. Bonnet and
Harry E. Shilling.
First Sergt- Wallace C. McDermatt,
Quartsrmaster Sergt- Charles F Mullen,
Stable Sergt. Granville y. Long.
Sergts. William F. Friel. Chester r.
Peake. Homer NJ. Mohr. John NJ. Flynn,
Edward B. symonds. and EIlwood S.
Moorhead, tr.
Corps. Herbert R. Young. Wallace ].
Cousins Maurice p. McGrath, Edwin II.
Hoffman, Millard Smith. Clair G. Barnes,
Edward S. White. and John H. Smith.
Chief Mechanic George H Davis,
Mechanics Shaulter V. Trussell George
V. Blakeney, and Edward B. Blade.
Musicians Frank A Osborne and Ar
thur ]. Dettmers.
lam L fudge.
Privates Loxlie V Adams, Herman
Adolph. Augustus Anderson. George L
Beech, Harry G. Beers, Joseph A Bris-
tow, Albert I. Calvert, Andrew J. Camp
bell, jr., Richard r. CLANCY, Pratt J.
Chroniger, Edward ]. Cunningham.
James r. Davis, jr., David B. Bee
Charles E. Fraser. Harry A. Gehrmann,
John Goetzinger, William E. Grant. Will
ism T. Hallorsn. Austin ]. Hall, Herbert
J. Hausser. Howard F. Hays. Walter J.
Harrigan. Daniel s. HerZog. Louis G.
Howard, Silas n. Jones' Francis NJ
Johnston. John P. Kahler, Julian F.
Kern. John A. Knowles. William c. Nc
Kinnon, James II. Mcvey. Charles W.
Mahon. James A. Msngan, Edward l.
May. Edward G. Mohler. jr., Lewis s.
Aohler, Harry Murray, Louis B. Pear
man. Ezra ]. Perkinson. Oscar A. Reed,
Joseph L. Reeves. Elbert B. Richmond.
Walter e. Rollins, Ernest p. Rumprey.
Arthur ]. Sackett, Iceland II. T. Schuk-
necht, William II. Scott Allen L. Shank.
Dennis A. Shields, John NJ. Smith, Ed
Ward c. Staples, Archie J.. Steele,
Charles E Taylor, Howard r. Taylor,
Walter E Thorne. Edward B. Tiller. Jay
" Trammeil, William T. Wannan.
Ritchie F. Ward. Ellwood Wilson. and
George II. Zeitler.
The following visiting officers also at
tended the review:
Capt. E. NJ. Nevels. NJ c. d. C.; Col.
Samuel B. Smiley, adjutant general, n.
G.; D. G.; Capt. Oliver l. Spalding, Y.
S. A.; Capt. ]. B. Allison. L. S. A., and
Mai. Charles r. Luce. N G., D. c.