Evening star., 1915-05-23

for retirement after long service. Following
q sail through military channels, the
application, making stops at the office
of the adjutant general of the army.
the division of militia affairs. the Judge
advocate general and the assistant sec
retary of war. approval has been given.
1t was learned at the department yes
terday that Mr.. Breckinridge, as act
Ing secretary, has signed the new COM
mission of Gen. Harries. as major gen.
eraI. District Of Columbia militia, re-
tired. The signature of the President
of the United States is all that is
needed to make it effective.
The organization as whole is await
Ing rather impatiently the naming of
Gen. Harries' successor. The guards
men undoubtedly expect that a member
of the command will be appointed to
fill the ranking office on the active
list. The fear that retired officer of
the army would be selected for the
position has been removed by the pub
lication of an opinion of the judge ad-
vocate general, approved by the acting
Secretary of War, that a retired officer
Of the army is not eligible. Guards
men were asking the question: Why
should we devote long years and en-
ergy to training in this organization
If. when the time arrives to allot the
supreme command, an outsider is ap-
pointed"
The signing of Gen. Harries new
commission by the President, the guard
as a whole hopes, will be accompanied
by the appointment of his successor.
Otherwise, the business of the organ
ization will come to a full stop, ac-
cording to the accounting officers. The
District bill. 1t is explained. appropri-
ates certain moneys Ito be disbursed
under the direction of the commanding
general of the militia Of the District of
Columbia, who is hereby empowered
to make leases. contracts. etc. The
accounting officers are quoted as say
ing they will not recognize any one
Of the militia Of the District Of
lumbia" along the lines indicated.
AS there seems to be pressing need
that a large amount of accumulated
cluding the selection of new quarters
in the event the organizations now
housed in the Center Market armory
are compelled to vacate upon the ex-
piration of the present lease. June 80.
the officers particularly, and especial=
ly those at headquarters, say they are
earnest in the desire that the Guard
have a head at the earliest possible
moment.
Army, reported last Thursday as adju-
tant general of the District Of Column
bia militia He is commissioned in the
District Of Columbia militia with rank
been pursuing the course of instruc-
tion at the War College.
The following members of the 1st
Battery. Field Artillery, have qualified
as gunners, according to an announce
Gsns Gsnsehi. mads g. Army Army mspao9osn
structor. assigned to the District of
Columbia militia:
First class gunners-Private NJ. T.
Noyes, Corp. ]. A. Hebrew Private
L. w. Trumbull. Sergt. W. J. Cousins,
First Sergt. H. NJ. Mohr and Corp.
l.. j. Kahler-
Second class gunners-Private ]. D.
Power and Private L. ]. Campbell.
They will be honored by having their
names published in general orders.
The past week has demonstrated the
big Improvement in the work of the
LIST Battery, Field Artillery, n. G. d. c.,
following resumption Of the drills. aft
er the camp at Tobyhanna, Pa. last
August This Improvement has been
noticed and commented upon by the
officers of the battery, but IT was
brought out palmer by the gunners' ex-
animation. held Monday. May II. 1915.
The examination was conducted by
Capt. Marlborough Churchill, L. S. A..
Observation-Disclosures of the battery. The
various subjects were as follows: d.
rect laying. indirect laying. laying for
range, fuse setting, drill Of the gun
squad and naming of the different parts
of the materiel.
The hardest subject was the naming
of the materiel. The candidates had to
know the technical names of something
like 1000 parts of the gun. caisson and
timber and how to dismount and mount
them.
In commenting on the candidates, the
examining officer said they had been
held to the standard prescribed for the
regular army, and that with their
limited opportunities for preparation
their showing was an excellent one
Sergt Vanderhoff. the present in
etructor-sergeant detailed from the
field artillery service of the United
good showing made by the candidate
in the examination. He has been at
the service of any man, day and night
who wished to practice or receive in
struction. With the limited facilities
he had for instruction purposes his
success has been remarka BILE. From
a class of ten candidates regularly at
tending his classes he has qualified six
hrst-class gunners and two second
class gunners. Sergt. Vanderhoff will
leave the battery temporarily May 29 to
act as instructor of commissioned
officers at Tobyhanna, Pa.
Capt. Oliver L. Spaulding, jr.. OF the
4th Regiment. Field Artillery, United
States Army. paid visit 10 the battery
armory He complimented Capt. Vogt
the improvement In the working
spirit of the officers and men. He said
he was glad to see everybody busy.
Capt. Spaulding was the instructor in
spector detailed with the battery at the
Harpers Ferry camp in the summer of
1912
Capt. J. Harry shannon, former com
manding officer of the battery. visited
the battery last Thursday night owing
TO the pressure of business this is the
first visit of Capt. shannon since re-
signing his commission. He also COM
nented on the fact that there was a
big improvement in the battery.
Capt. Nogt. about two months ago is
sued order 10 his chiefs OF platoon
70 report all men Of their platoons who
were absent from drill and 10 recon-
mend a court martial, II necessary or
IN the case of non commissioned Of
fcer, reduction to tie ranks This
seems to have borne fruit as the at
tendance has been gradually improv-
ing. The chiefs of platoon also will
recommend any member for promotion
This will make the man with good at
tendance, and who gives strict atten-
tion to the instruction, the one who
will receive hrst consideration when
the promotions are given out. This also
means that the non commissioned Of
6cer who does not attend regularly
will go back to the ranks TO make way
for those who do.
The annual meeting of the Non com
missioned Oficers Association of the
LIST Infantry, ". G. D. c., was held In
NJ ortn - II