Evening star., 1925-08-25
GUARDSMEN PLAN
HOME IN TERMINAL
Need for Own Headquarters
i Stressed-Virginia Camp
in War Game.
BY WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY,

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va, August %.
--GraSping at any plan that might
result in giving the National Guard
of the District of Columbia a real
home of it's own, the official machinery
of the militia has started turning in
the hope of developing an armory
out of the proposed central bus ter
minal in Washington.
Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, COM
manding the District militia, has is
sued instructions to Col. John w.
Oehman, commanding the 121st Regi-
ment of Engineers. also in camp here,
to prepare tentative plans, including
an estimate of floor space needed,
which will be used Immediately in
starting negotiations for housing the
District Guard in home betttting its
dignity as the soldier representatives
of the National Capital. Similar in
structions have gone out to COM
manders of other Guard units.
Col Oehmann has estimated that
the 121st Engineers should have
$4,000 feet of floor space, giving
enough for company rooms, storage
of equipment and motor trains and
adequate drilling facilities.
Need Three Stories.
While the plans have not definitely
taken shape, awaiting reports from
the unit commanders and also being
dependent on the ideas of those who
are promoting the central bus ter
minal, Gen. Stephan said today that
it would take at least three stories
of a building to handle the local Ma
tional Guard, one of which would be
given over entirely to Il drill hall.
However. there seems to be some
opposition by some members of the
Guard to the proposal to build an
Armory in connection with d bus
terminal. This is founded on the be-
lief that the acceptance of the pro-
poSal might forever prevent the
Guard from having a public afmory,
for which 1t has been unsuccessfully
fighting for years. Officers point out
that the movement for a public ar
mory Is closer now than ever before
and that provision for an especially
constructed rented armory might hurt
the movement.
There is another problem, it was
pointed out. which must be consid
cred. 1t would be under the Public
Utilities Commission control, and to
have the guard there would foster a
dual responsibility, which might work
to the derogation of both sides.
Therefore, it was pointed out, every
and at the next session of Congress
10 have provision made for a pub
licly owned armory. The National
Guard of the District is in q worse
condition for armory training than it
has ever been. 1t will be denied the
use of Convention Hall as a drill
hall next Winter, and the troops will
have to go out in the streets adjacent
to the armory. The armory build
ing where the company troops are
located is unSuited for proper Stor-
age of property. Officers of the
guard further state that the guard is
not seeking an elaborate building in
which the troops may carry on their
training, but some useful building
which can be constructed at the
minimum of expense
War clouds are lowering over the
camp today, as the troops are loading
equipment for going out to the At
fantic coast not far distant to prevent
the landing of a hostile force. Col.
John w. Oehmann has issued his field
orders to the engineers battalion
commanders and this afternoon the
troops are marching over the dusty
fields and slowly advancing through
the marsh lands to prevent the force
from getting their men on the beach.
The sand dunes raised high on the
Dedch TOOK some OF the work off the
engineers. who did not find it neces-
sary TO throw up large breastworks.
thus combining theiT efforts to actual
fighting. Large ammunition and sup
ply dumps have been laid out and a
force thrown around them for protec-
ton, and the signal organization is
laying it's lines of communication.
The maneuver is being observed by
Capt. Clay Anderson and Lieut. II,
II. Pohl, United States Army En-
gineer' Corps, assigned to the local
unit as inspectors and instructors.
Plans have been completed for hold
ing a dinner tomorrow night at the
Princess Anne Country Club. here by
the officers of the 121st Engineers. The
dinner will be rendered to Lieut. Pohl
who is retiring from the Guard as in
structor and has been ordered to Fort
Humphreys, Va, for duty.
Col. John W. Oehmann will be toast
master. The speakers and subjects
that will be discussed follow: Lieut.
Col. Louis G. Brinton, The Regular
Army and the National Guard, Their
Relation; Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan,
-.