Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-13

| IN "A in the way of military en-
tertainment at the tourna-
ment Of the National Guard
| of the District of Columbia
to be given Tuesday and Wednesday of
! this week. Drills and exercises of the
1 kind that are seldom seen in this city
| will be given by officers and men who
| have become expert In their various
| duties az a result Of weeks and weeks
| of training.
The drills are to be given in Con-
| vention Hall. which now Is the regular
| drill quarters of the guard, and the
| funds derived from the gate receipts
are to be used in fitting up the quarters
of the various organizations for the
| purpose of making them attractive to
| the better class of young men OF the
city.
| Probably one Of the most interest
| Ing drills will be that Of the machine
| before the last annual encampment.
| and which. aside from the coast artil-
| lery company, Is the newest organiza-
ton in the guard. Machine guns are
European conflict. and those at the
| tournament will be given the oppor-
| tunity of seeing just how these little
rifles, which fire a hundred or SO shots
| a second, are operated under field con-
ditions.
OF sourse there will be no real shots
| fired. but Capt. Earnshaw, who COM
mands the new company In ADDITION
| to his duties as regimental commits
| sary officer. has had constructed some
| kind of apparatus. which is one OF the
military secrets of the local organiza-
ton, which will make the audience
shudder and duck from imaginary shots
| and will give that touch of realism
to the drill which will make 1t most
interesting.
Another big feature will be the wall
scaling. A wall about twenty feet
high has been erected. and over this
ease as If it was two-foot fence. 1t
| Is a necessary part Of the military
| training.
The Signal Corps Company will show
just how lines of communication are
| maintained in time of war. and will
show how a field wireless set is placed
in the field and communication estab-
lished with headquarters from whence
| directed. There also will be shown
other means of signaling, including
heliograph, semaphore and telegraph.
There will be tent pitching contests.
bayonet exercises and battery drill.
showing the commands given to field
artillery while being used against the
enemy.
In preparation for the event a dress
rehearsal was held last Monday. which
was largely attended. There was a
battalion drill, and all of the various
organizations went through the drills
which they will be called upon to give
Tuesday and Wednesday.
During the tournament there Will be
music and dancing. and the guests will
be given an opportunity to see the
numerous exhibits. including a field
kitchen, a field hospital. as well as
the great store Of paraphernalia which
an army in the field must carry.
The enlisted men of the Sd Infantry
gave a complimentary dance last Tues
day evening. 1t was given in the drill
hall, and was largely attended. The
music was furnished by the Sd In
fantry Band.
Plans already are being made for
the annual tours of duty in the field
Of the various organizations composing
the National Guard of the District OF
Columbia. Plans have been completed
for every organization except the in
fantry. The War Department has not
yet decided whether or not this branch
Of the service Of the District will be
assembled in a joint encampment with
regular troops or will be allowed to
map out it's own tour OF duty, 1T Is
stated.
Brig. Gen. William Z. Harvey, COM
manding the District of Columbia
militia. declared that II the War De-
partment did not make any plans for
the local troops they probably would
participate in long practice march.
probably through the valley of Vir-
ginia. This would give the troops a
real taste of the soldiers life In time
of war service.
1t is hoped that the funds will permit
the local guard to have at least two
weeks in the field this year, and proba.
bly, more. The newly organized coast
artillery company, which is to be COM
manded by Walter w. Burns. viii have
It's encampment at Fort Washington.
Md, where it now goes nearly every
ton, which is made up principally OF
students and graduates of the George
Washington University. will go to
camp very soon after the close of the
ably three weeks. Gen. Harvey said
that In view of the fact that 1t is
new organization. he wanted to give
it every change an possible .s TO- perfect
of a small guard of caretakers all of
the coast artillery forces have been
withdrawn from the Potomac river
post. and the barracks there will be
District guard.
There will be a camp for machine
gun companies at Fort Ethan Allan,
vt. and the local guard authorities |
have been requested to send their |
command to that place for camp. This |
probably will be done. although the |
details have not yet been arranged;
the District has two. will go to Toby |
hanna, Pa, for a camp with the regular |
troops, as they did last year. The field |
The lease for the Congress Heights |!
rifle range of the National Guard has |
been renewed and the regular target |
practice of the guard win be held there
looking for site down the river. but |
for the present this has been aban- |
doned. The War Department has Of /
fered to the local militia the use Of its !