Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-21
ARMORY DEDICATED
i. AT liver SPRING.
Marylanders Hear Richie
Laud National Guard as
Main Standby.

in the scheme of national defense
and the volunteer firemen as tn,
performers of one of the State
sovereign duties in the protection
of life and property, Gov. ALDER
c. Richie Of Maryland. honor CUES
and principal participant in thu
10-hour festivities at Silver Spring
Md. yesterday afternoon and las
night, paid tribute TO the two organ
izations responsible for the celebra
ton, attending the dedication of tn,
new $4,000 State Armory at tina
place in conjunction with the first an
nual volunteer firemen's jubilee.
Gov. Ritchie's compliments were
couched in an address fraught Will
national defense sentiment and oh
servations of civic advancement in the
territory of his State which borders
the District of Columbia, and it was
delivered during an interval follow
ing an afternoon of pageantry il
which thrills abounded.
Parade of Fircmen.
a parade in which nearly 80 volun-
teer fire companies from the surround
ing counties OF Maryland and Virginia
Joined with the Silver Spring volun.
teer flrefighters and over 90 com.
mercial, patriotic, fraternal and civic
floats, at 2:30 o'clock yesterday after
noon, opened the celebration, which
continued until midnight.
When the procession had been re-
viewed by Gov. Richie, Represents
tive Zihlman, Maj. l.. Brooke Lee,
Speaker of the Maryland House of
Delegates. and officers of the Mary
land National Guard, including Brig.
Gen. Milton a. Record. commanding
officer. and Capt. Joseph c. Cissel of
the Service Co. of Silver Spring, a
program of fast-moving fire apparatus
contests. marked by only one spill
that even approached seriousness in
consequences, was staged on the
street adjoining the new armory.
Immediately after the contests, the
dedication ceremonies took place at
o'clock in front of the main entrance
of the armory, and this phase of the
days celebration was broadcast by
radio station WRC.
Two thousand persons gathered on
the rain-dampened field before the
armory building and listened to Gov.
Richie, Representative Zihlman, Brig.
Gen. Record. Maj. Lee and Capt. Cis-
sci deliver speeches in the chilly air
Of the rapidly gathering darkness.
Brig. Gen. Record was the first on
the formal program Of speakers, and
to enlist interest and men in the
organization. He declared that the
World War taught that wars of the
future must be fought by all Of the
people OF the engaged nations, and
that from this lesson a new national
defense scheme was evolved.
THE National Guard" Brig. Gen.
Record asserted. "is an integral part
OF that new national defense scheme.
You young men owe it to your coun-
try to join the Guard. and if you old.
er business men who employ the
young men Of this community do not
do all You can to make it possible
Tor the youths to be members of the
National Guard, you are failing in
your duty to the national Defense"
Gov. Richie Speaks.
Gov. Richie was introduced by a
military saline of the Army Band,
under the direction of Capt. William
J. Stannard, U. S. A, which played in
concert during the dedication exer-
cises.
The governor lost no time in quench-
Ing the hopes of the members of his
audience, who had hoped he would
talk politics" His first utterance
was the relation of a story of a news.
paper reporters interview with him
just before he went on the platform
to speak.
The reporter, he said, suggested he
talk about his political intentions, and
asked hun at the same time to saw
whether or not he would choose to
run for third term if elected twice
to the Presidency" Gov. Richie
smiled and declared he had told the
reporter that IF they'll give us Demo.
Gratis just one term in Office, we won t
argue about the third term" No other
reference was made to politics.
Declaring that State of the Union
mas several sovereign duties, Gov.
Richie counted as one of these the
safeguarding Of its citizens health and
the protection Of their lives and prop.
erty.
Acting for State.
1.-THE volunteer flremen, in their
work of protecting your property and
your lives" Gov. Richie said, "are
performing one Of the sovereign duties
of the State"
The governor here reviewed briefly
the accomplishments in Maryland in
recent years in the suburban districts
adjoining the Capital. He included
with these the bringing about of auto
mobile reciprocity which, he said, has
contributed greatly to increased good
Will between the involved communi
ties. The elimination of the Baltimore
& Ohio grade crossing at Silver Spring
and the work on a similar project q,
Hyattsville. along with the widening
of several roadways through the impo
sition Of the motor-vehicle license and
gasoline taxes, were among other
evidences of State advancement
mentioned by Gov Ritchie
Marylands chief executive re
viewed also the work that State has
done toward the development of its
land which borders the District, ir
accordance with the proposed beauti
hcatlon program.
Gov. Richie here returned to the
subject of the armory dedication
The National Guard. a branch Of
which will be housed in the new
building, was described by him a!
the one organization which is ICON
tinuaily training the citizens so that
in emergency, they will be fitted t.
step into the breach at once"
1--WE do not believe in large stand
ing army" the governor declared
perhaps our present Army is ever
too small However, that is a question
of degree, so we need a body of mer
properly prepared for emergency, ant
that body is the National Guard. oul
main standby today.
Much as we desire nationa
economy, we do not want an economy
which will impair our national de
tense. America is no longer isolated
I'VE are open to attack from all angle.
the airplane and submarine have
adequately demonstrated that--and 81
the expenditure Of such sums as ar,
required for this building is gladly
made by the State"
Maj. Lee Speaks.
Mai. Lee reviewed the history o
Maryland military organizations from
the Continental Army, through tn
Spanish American War. Mexican Dor