Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-24
.ARM0RY PROJECT
IS GIVEN APPROVAL
Fine Arts Body Would Let
Pension Office Take Place
of Memorial.

The Fine Arts Commission has ap-
proved use of the Pension Office
Building by the National Guard of
the District of Columbia as an armory
and suggested that this building serve
the purpose heretofore intended to
be served by a proposed new memo
rial armory.
In a letter to Chairman Elliott of
the House committee on public build
inSs and grounds, Charles Moore,
chairman of the commission, pointed
out that Congress already has APP
proved the project for "a monumental
bandstand In Potomac Park as a
memorial for the District of Column
bia participants in tho World War.
SO that the memorial feature OF the
armory bill is believed ito be COW
cred"
VIII Meet Real Need.
Replying to Mr.. Elliott's request
for consideration OF the bill for a
memorial arm1ry in the District, Mr..
Moore said. The commission has
known OF the efforts made in past
years to erect an armory for the
District OF Columbia militia. No city
in the country deserves more adequate
modations for it's militia tina II
does the city of Washington. Here the
service performed by the militia
should find recognition from Congress.
IL the Pension Office Building can he
made availa BILE for the use OF the
District militia, it will meet an i'm
mediate need for an armory. The
plan OF the building lends itself to
the use Of troops. Moreover, It was
built as a memorial to the soldiers OF
the Civil War.
The matter was taken up with
Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan, command
ing the District OF Columbia militia,
who expresses himself heartily In
favor of the suggestion. A copy OF
his letter on the subject Is enclosed.
The memorial feature proposed by
the bill. however. is believed 10 be GOV.
cred by the act. approved June I,
1924 public Resolution No. ~, Sixty
eighth Congress-, providing for me
mortal to those members OF the mill
tary and naval forces OF thu United
States from the District OF Columbia
who served their country In the great
war The project of monumental
bandstand in Potomac Park has been
approved by Congress as Il memorial.
The design of the bandstand has been
approved by the commission.
Would sc Site Otherwise.
The Commission of Fine Arts,
therefore, recommends that. instead
of constructing an armory building
as proposed by H. II. sl22. the Pension
Office Building be turned over to the
District Of Columbia militia and
adapted to such uses The site here
tofore considered for an armory.
along Pennsylvania avenue, between
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, may
well be used for the internal revenue
building or the general accounting Of
fice, or other OF the needed Govern
ment buildings"
Gen. stephan in his letter to the
Fine Arts Commission pointing out
that the National Guard had pending
before the Public Buildings Commits.
sion @ request for assignment OF
space in the Pension Office Building
declared that the use of the building
'for armory purposes is highly desir-
able, in view of its downtown location
and the fact that the large rotunda
would be available for drill purposes.
IF the National Guard could secure
space In the Pension Office Building
5000 square feet. exclusive OF the
rotunda) for company assembly and
locker rooms, 1t would be possible to
secure storage and other facilities out
side Of the Pension Office Building TO
meet the baiance Of our require
ments."