Evening star., 1915-02-07

(; settled for the National Guard
| of the District of Columbia,
| now that the property and
| efficiency questions have been
ia ken care of by general orders, is ways
and means for the annual encampment
| of the organization. AS soon as Brig.
Gen. George H. Harries commanding
| the District of Columbia militia, ar
rives in the city Lieut.. Col. Almon L.
Parmerter. adjutant general, District
| of Columbia militia, will take up with
| him the question of the annual en-
campment with a view to getting an
early decision on the matter so that
the troops may make arrangements
| for their leaves of absence from their
civil employment.
1t is understood that the question
of selection of a camp site for the
as is the question of funds A large
amount of money is to be Topped off
the local National Guard allotment by
the federal government this year as
partment to begin the collection of
the money for the shortage in clothing
and equipment as shown by the in
ventory of 1912.
tied. and If 1t should then be found
that the National Guard still has money
enough to carry it through an en-
campment. then the matter of camp
proposition. 1t is understood that a
number of officers in the local National
Guard are favorable to the camp site
of last year at Virginia Beach, Va. The
of transportation, but it is declared
that if the big army transports now
lying at anchor at Norfolk could be
mustered to the National Guard serv-
matter of transportation also would
be but small detail. 1t is the belief
that this can be done, If the decision
Is reached to return to Virginia Beach.
However. 1t would be violation Of
law for the National Guard not to hold
any encampment. and money must be
found some way for the guard to hold
at least six days camp.
| Section 46 Of the act OF Con-
gress of February IS. 1909, provides
THAT the National Guard shall per-
form not less than six consecutive days
| of camp duty in each year. at such
time as may be ordered by the COM
manding general; ="
Lee D. Mathes, general superintendent
Of the Norfolk and Southern railway,
| which road had much to do with handling
the troops, both between Norfolk and
Virginia Beach, and on the daily trips
of the men from the camp grounds to
the summer resort proper, while In the
city recently praised the behavior of
the District troops during their stay in
Virginia last year. and declared that a
committee of Virginians soon was to
come to Washington to urge that the
troops again be sent to the Virginia
camp site Among the committee. it
was declared, is to be the mayor Of
| Such praise from men who were in
close contact with the activities Of the
troops is taken by Lieut.. Col. Farmer
ter as very good report, and the fact
hn hon slY
there again this year is an assurance
that the troops did not misbehave
while in camp.
| Mai. c. v. Sayer. I'd Infantry, by a de-
cision of the controller of the Treasury
collect So for horse hire in view of the
fact that the animal was his own prop
erty The horse was used when the local
National Guard went to the star Span
| gIed Banner celebration in Baltimore.
| In the view of National Guard officers,
the action of the controller is declared to
be unfair These officers get nothing for
| the upkeep of their horses, as is the case
| of field officers in the regular army, and
at no time does the government bear any
expense in connection with them. When
| the guard goes on parade or into camp
| it is necessary to hire horses. and 1t
has been the practice Of some officers
who own their horses to use them
|
not use their own horses it would be
| necessary for the National Guard to hire
one for each field officer. The mere fact
that the animal belongs to the officer
Fl ON the guard for the hire of it. He is
as much justified in collecting for the
| hire, it is pointed out, as the commercial
| finn which hires out the horses.
J Again the long-awalited-for armory for
! the National Guard of the District of Co
lumbia has been delayed by Congress,
| while the organization goes on trying to
improve in efficiency with bad and made
| quate quarters, in every way unsuitable
| for the proper training of d military Or
ganiZation.
The action was taken Wednesday, when
the House committee on public buildings
| and grounds Sidetracked the So-called
| Dyer bill. The armory, as outlined in the
Over bill, would cost Sl,750.OO0. the bill
authorizing an additional appropriation
for the first years work of $4,000.
| Representative Dyer, who introduced
the bill, and who pushed it with all his
power while he was in Congress. was
unseated several months ago after Rep
resentative Gill of st. Louis filed con-
test against him. Representative Dyer.
however, has been elected to the next
| Congress, and it is assumed that he will
| Immediately take up the fight for Ma
| tional Guard armory in this city. He
was a member of the District of Column
bia volunteer regiment in the Spanish
| American war, anu Is uecplS Interested
in the welfare of the National Guard.
/ The construction of the proposed build
| ing would be in accordance with plans
| submitted by commission appointed by
| Congress nearly seven years ago.
| Iieut. Col A l.. Parmerter, adjutant
General District of Columbia militia, re-
turned to his desk at brigade headquar-
ters during the week. after very sue
cessful hunting trip along the coast in
the vicinity of Virginia Beach He re-
ported cunning excellent and weather
| conditions ideal.
| New regulations governing the or
eanization of medical units of Ma
tional Guard organizations and out
lining the professional requisites for
Commissioned officers in the corps have
lust been issued by the War Depart
ment. They apply to all medical de-
partments of the organized militia and
specifically include the District of Co
lumbia.
which has attracted considerable at
tention is that providing that any
! In