Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-28

With the return today from their
camps i'm various parts of the East
or all units composing the National
Guard of the District of Columbia,
immediate steps will be taken TO put
into effect an armory drill schedule
which will put to use the practical
work which has been learned in the
field during the past two weeks.
Reports from all of tire camps indi-
ca te that they were the most success
full from a training standpoint during
the postwar history of the units now
formed. The attendance of troops
was larger than ever before reported,
and it was indicated that steps will be
taken during the ensuing armory drill
year to compel a larger attendance at
drills than has been usual in the past.
Many men, it was pointed out, enlist
in the Guard simply for the trip out
of the city, and upon the return of
the organization to the home station
they are seldom seen for the next
year, but usually again show up at
camp time. However. it was added
that in order to keep posted on the
military scheme of instruction and re-
tain the fund of information taught
them during the encampment period ii
is necessary that the men attend the
drills regularly.
Because many of the men in the
commands arc personal friends of the
officers, there is no disposition to force
them to attend drills, but those IA
miliar with the Guard organizations
in the States point out that in many
of them when the men do not attend
drills they are given COurt-martialS
and fired. There is now on the
statute books in this city a law pro-
viding for the court-martial of men
who fail to attend drills and who are
not excused by the proper military
authority. 1t provides that the SEN
fences of the courts shall be carried
out by the United States marshal for
the District of Columbia, and also pro-
vides that upon failure to pay the
fines assessed by the court the men
shall be confined in Jail for stated
period. usually one day for each dollar
of the fine assessed.
4 few cases made against the
habitual absentees, it was indicated
by officers who served in the ante-war
District Guard. would have the effect
of awakening the men to the serious
ness of their oathS and would result
in better attendance without resort
ing to further court-martials.
Concentration of the majority of the
IlSIflCI troops III one CAMP at lllG
next field training period will be one
of the matters which will be given
serious consideration during the year,
and it was indicated that every effort
would be made to have all Of the units
except the 260th Battalion of Coast
Artillery sent to Camp Albert G.
Richie, at Cascade, Md, where about
a third of the District troops just
finished their field training period of
1927.
The camp site is a new one, estab-
1ished particularly for the Maryland
National Guard, but it is available
for the use of the District troops.
Those who went to that camp this
year are enthusiastic about it, and it
was said that there is a strong posi-
bility that the 121st Regiment of En-
gineers, which has gone regularly to
Fort Humphreys, Va, each year, be.
cause of the fact that it is a Regular
Army engineering post, will next year
go to Cascade. In fact, Maj. Gen.
Anton Stephan said that he would
take the matter up promptly with
the Militia Bureau of the War De-
partment, with view to getting an
allotment of funds sufficient to pay
the transportation cost of the regi-
ment. Gen. Stephan had the 18th