Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-30
Armory Square Approved for
Washington Memorial.
SENATE COMMITTEES VIEW
National Guards Spokesman Wanted
Ground for New Building.
ARGUMENTS MADE FOR FAVOR
Mrs. Henry F. Dimmock Says Trib-
ute to First President Will
Soon Be Under Way.

| Approval of the bill granting Armory
| Square-the site of the old Pennsylvania
station on B street between 9th and 9TH
streets northwest-as the site for the
erection of the George Washington Me-
mortal Hall was expressed by the Senate
| committee on public buildings and
| grounds today.
| Mrs. Henry F. Dimmock promised the
| committee that if Congress passed the
bill granting that site for the memorial
the work Of erecting the building would
| be started at once. The favorable report
| by the committee will go far toward get
| ting the bill passed by the Senate.
! This action means that the Senate COM
mittee on public buildings and grounds
disapproves of the use of Armory Square
for magnificent armory for the District
National Guard. An armory on that
square has been the hope of National
Guard officers in the National Capital for
years. and was recommended by a COM
mission appointed a few years ago by
| Congress. The committees action today
| is a blow to the project.
Conditions Imposed.
The bill specifies, while appropriating
no money for the erection of the building.
that the structure shall be fireproof. fac
ed with granite and to cost not less than
100000. 1t is to have an auditorium
| that will seat not less than 5000 persons
and such other smaller halls. reception
rooms and Office rooms as may be deem
| ed necessary; the design is to be subject
| to the approval Of the fine arts commits
| sion.
The George Washington Memorial Asso-
citation is. in addition to erecting the
building, to provide a permanent endow
| ment of not less than $5OO.UOO, the in
| come to be used for the maintenance of
the structure.
The building is to be available for use
for inaugural receptions and special pub
lie meetings authorized by Congress- and
is to be under the control Of the regents
of the Smithsonian Institution.
Rivalry Develops.
The hearing which preceded the ex-
| ecutive session of the committee devel-
tives of the National Guard of the Dis
trict of Columbia and those back of the
| George Washington Memorial project.
Col. E. s. Smiley, retiring adjutant
general Of the District National Guard,
had words of praise for both projects, but
| he urged Congress to use "Armory
Square" for the armOry and not for
The George Washington memorial is
| very worthy purpose" he told the
| committee. washington should have
such building. But the site is the exact
spot which was selected by a commits
| sion. appointed by Congress. to prepare
plans for an armory for the National
Capital. The bill creating the commits
sion. as it passed the House, specifically
designated this site for the armory, but
as it became law no exact site was
fixed.
Poor Accommodations Here.
There is a great movement in all of
the states for proper accommodations for
the National Guard, but here in the Ma
tional Capital are worse accommodations
| for the militia than may be found in all
| the United States. If this committee
| should report out this bill giving that
site for the George Washington Memo
rial Hall 1t would put back the armory
project long way
Why wouldn't the south side of the
same square in the Mall do just as well
/ for the armory?" Senator Wetmore in
< quired.
| That is now occupied by building. !"
| replied Col. Smiley.
| IF the south side were not occupied,
would it do just as well?" Mr.. Wetmore
persisted.
yes" replied Col. Smiley. but it Is &C.
cupied."
Senator Swanson wanted to know if the
proposed cost Of the armory, about
81. 100000 would be paid half by the Dis
trict and half by the United States.
1T Is a federal proposition" replied Col.
Smiley. "and I think it is the plan to
have the federal government pay for the
armory."
1T is not customary. is it. for the
United States to erect armories in the
states?" continued Senator Swanson.
4 III is the custom here hay
| United States and the District divide the
cost of local projects. isn't it?'
Col Smiley replied that 1t would be for
| Congress to decide whether the District
| but he pointed out that the National
| Guard here was in a way a federal ma
| tional guard and that the President Of the
| United States Is its communicating chief
Future of the Mall.
| The discussion between members of
the committee and Col. Smiley drifted
into the proper treatment Of the Mall
and Senator Hepburn declared that the
plans called for the placing Of future
public buildings in the Mall on an ex.
| tended terrace, so that traffic to the
buildings and across the Mall would
be underground.
If the buildings are placed on q
level with the Avenue. they look driver
III CcHdtOT l1cyDuTn.
Col. w. Z. Harvey emphasized tn.
need for proper accommodations for thu
District National Guard by telling of tn,
magnificent armories which have beer
erected in other cities. and COMPARING
| them with the fire trap and made
quate quarters which are furnished fo
the guard here. ALI over the country
he said, the states are looking to tn,
erection Of suitable buildings for tn,
national guards If present quarters ar,
not adequate.
IF the government is to maintain the
National Guard for efficient militar,
| work when IL is needed" Col. Harvey re
marked, suitable armories must be pro
| vided."
Visiting members of the National Guart
in the states, he said, are amazed by tn,
lpoor accommodations which are furnished
for the guard here. And >lOO0 worth O.
government property Is stored in "fir,
trap"
Col. Harvey suggested that a mos
suitable site for the George Washington
memorial would be along B street be
tween 14th and 18th streets, near tn,