Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-23
WILSON |NSPECTS
NAVAL BATTALION
Secretary Daniels Attends
Drills and Praises Dis
trict "Jackies."
QUARTERMASTER NOLTE
WINS HIGHEST H0N0RS
Secretary of Navy Declares Capital
Lads Would Be First to
Go to War.

Go to War.
Before crowd which taxed the
| capacity Of its armory. the Naval Bat
| TALON, n. G. d c., last night was in
spected by President Wilson, as COM
mander-in-chief of the armed forces OF
the United States. Secretary Daniels OF
| the Navy Department also was there.
and delivered a speech to the battalion.
| during which he congratulated the men
| on their fine appearance and, told them
| that they, being at the nations capital,
would be the first to be called upon to
! help defend the flag should war be de-
| clared.
| Long before the guests began to arrive
! the naval militiamen were in their places
| in their division rooms. By o'clock all
| of the seats In the armory had been
| filed Shortly after s O'Clock the Division
marched into, the drill hall. under the
| command of Lieut.. w. w. Burns, who
| was wearing his extra half stripe as
| lieutenant for the first time. Lieut..
Burns Lieut. W. Granville Guss,
| executive officer, and Lieut.. BUST G. Get
| singer were promoted yesterday from
| he rank Of ensign.
High Officials Arrive.
| While the battalion. was forming on the
| drill floor, Secretary Daniels, with his
| personal aid. Lieut.. Commander Need
ham L. Jones, arrived and were escorted
| to seats in the center of the drill hall.
| Soon after the Secretary had taken his
| seat. the fiourishes from the ships bu-
gler heralded the President at the gang
/ 10 oSCaroh1ad
| With the President was his naval aid,
| DR.. Cary Grayson. AS the President pro-
ceeded to Commander Dempf cabin the
organization came to present arms and
remained until he was within the door.
AS soon as the President had removed
his cloak he returned to the drill hall
while the band played The Star Span
gled Banner He was given a seat next
to the Secretary of the Navy.
+! The battalion was then turned over to
Commander Joseph A. Dempf by Lieut..
Guss. Commander Dempf delivered an
address, expressing the pleasure he felt
at being honored with the presence of
the President of the United States. I'm
| all my years of experience" he said,
there has never been happier moment
in my life than the present. The pres
ence in this armory of the commander
| in-chief of the armed forces of the
United States should have a lasting and
benefcent effect upon this battalion. 1t
simply goes to show that no matter how
small an organization We are, compared
to the whole. the President Is keeping
| an eye on u.s."
Quartermaster Nolte Wins.
| President Wilson did not address the
members of the battalion, he having asked
Commander Dempf to be excused Fol-
towing his y speech Commander Dempf
asked Col. W. E. Harvey, commanding the
I'd Regiment. N. G. D. c.. and Lieut.. L.
H. Windsor to act as judges for the COM
petitive drill Lieut.. Guss pitt the men
| through the manual Of! arms. and as the
clear commands rang out through the
| halls the men were slowly picked out for
some fault in the handling of their guns
until finally there stood in the center of
| the hall Quartermaster Felix Nolte, win
ner of the competitive drill. The quick
manner in which the men executed the
| commands of Lieut.. Guss was the source
! of favorable comment from almost every
one present.
Following the competitive drill President
Wilson again went to the cabin. where he
was introduced to the officers of the bat
talon. after which he left. Then Com
mander Dempf introduced Secretary Dam
| iels to the battalion.
Daniels Pays Tribute.
Secretary Daniels told the battalion
that the country in time Of war was not
only dependent upon its regular naval
forces. but 1--WE also have naval re-
serve, composed of the flower Of the
young men of America. While earning
| their living in daily walks of life. they
are inspired by patriotism which causes
them to give their tine to the country so
| that when the first alarm of danger is
sounded they will be prepared to man
the guns and the ships of America.
"Since the days of John Paul Jones and
Perry. and down through the days OF
| Dewey. the American people have look
] ed. and not in va n, to the navy to win
honor for the flag. l congratulate you
Americans who give your time in order
| to be able to hep your country In time
| of need There are no finer bod es of
men in the country, and tomorrow morn
| ing when the country reads of your ac-
cornplishments every young man will
! feel his blood stir to know that you have
| been visited by the President of the
Tn ted States. and that you have won
| honor in wearing the country's uniform.
Appearance Pleases.
/ II congratulate you upon your appear
ance and upon your readiness to answer
upon the country's call, and upon the ex-
| pertness with which you executed the
commands given you, and also upon the
cleanty appearance of the battalion.
J while We hope to have peace he con-
cluded, nevertheless should war come,
the country always can depend upon the
navy OF the United States and the Naval
Militia OF the District of Columbia to be
ready upon the first call. You would be
the first called to man the guns and ships
because you are here at the capital Of
the United States
At the conclusion of his address the
Secretary was escorted to the cabin,
where he also greeted the officers and
complimented them upon their work
When the Secretary left the battalion was
| dismissed and dancing followed.
| The armory had been especially deco
rated for the occasion with the large
signal flags in use in the navy. In the
| center of the drill hall and just over the
/ seat assigned to President Wilson there
was large American flag. Cedar trees
were used both inside and outside of the
armory in the decorative scheme, and
! electric lights were festOoned about the
| trees which were on the outside.
Boy Scouts Usher.
l