Evening star., 1923-11-28
Was1,ington's s'Citizen Army"
Plans for COnnlOdiOus Home
With Co-Operation of CiUic and Patriotic
Bodies Hopes for adequate National
Guard Armory, NoW Urgent Need.

ward bettering present conditions.
I'm 1908 the House of Representative
passed a bill dedicating a portion of
the site at 9th and r streets north
west for proposed armory and
created commission to cause plans
and estimates to be submitted to Con-
greSS. The Senate struck out the
portion dedicating the site for the
,rmory and thus that effort was lost.
The committee on public buildings
ana grounds favorably reported
bill June "a, 1911. authorizing the
secretary Of War to make contracts
1of the construction of an armory at
cost not to exceed sl.750.000 and
dedlcatlng a site on B street north
west between 18th and 18th streets
Tor the armory. The bill was called
up on the floor of the Senate June 15.
l9l2. and amended to provide that
one-half of the cost should be de-
frayed by the District of Columbia.
! Inc bill was referred to the cont
mittee on the District of Columbia
where no action was taken.
An omnibus bill passed February
- 1918. provided for an armory. but
1t failed in conference. Another bin
was introduced March Il, 1914, but
nothing was done until January 19.
1917, when provision for an armory
was included in the public buildings
bill. which failed of passage. In the
SiXty-fifth Congress bill was intro
J Gallinger, on August 10. 1917. and re-
| ferred to the committee on public
buildings and grounds. Another bill
was introduced by Representative
Dyer, which was referred to the Dis
! t,'ct of Columbia committee. but no
action was taken
In 1919 Gen. Simms endeavored to
secure an armory as memorial to
soldiers and sailors of the District
who served in the world war. Since
| that time VariOuS efforts have bPpn
made to revive the matter, but not
| until recently has real progress been
noted.
Meeting Held to Discuss Project.
On invitation from Gen. Stephan
fifteen organizations in the District
sent delegates to a meeting at the
armory Tuesday night of last week to
discuss ways and means of securing
an armory. They included delegations
from the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Board of Trade. Chamber of Com
merce, Merchants and Manufacturers
Association. American Legion, Mill
tary Order of the World War. Grand
Army OF the Republic. Reserve OH
GERS Association. Disabled Emer-
United Spanish War Veterans. Rotary
club. kiwanis Club. Newcomers
Club and Lions Club. 4 permanent or
ganfzation was effected and a legis-
! lative committee appointed to draft a
Specimen plans for a proposed armory
! will be prepared and recommends
tions submitted regarding site.
Various other organizations have
taken up the matter, and with the
backing of practically the entire bust
ness community and patriotic and
civic organizations 1t is hoped to ac-
compllSh results.
Recruiting in Progress.
In the meantime recruiting has been
| in progress in the District National
Guard, and with the completion of the
regiment of engineers composite
battalion Of coast artillery will be
organized. 1t will be known as the
241th Coast Artillery Corps.
\ review will be rendered Col. Rich
ard u. La Garde Tuesday evening, De-
cember 4, in appreciation of his serv-
ices until recently as adJutant gem
eral of the District militia. He is re-
sponsible, in large part, for the eX-
pansion of the guard just after the
world war, when il was q difficult
task to hold any military organiza
tion together.
Nom commissioned officers school
will be held in the gymnasium Fri
day night.
The C Company basket ball team
will play Georgetown Thursday night
at the armory.