Evening star., 1928-04-01

a memorandum showing the history oi
the 20 years Of effort to have Congress
provide adequate armory facilities fol
the local militia. in accordance with
request of Secretary Davis Of the War
Department, who was interviewed or
the armory question last week by Gen
Stephan. who also was accompanied by
Lieut. Col. Peyton q, hewitt, Adjutant
Generals Department.
Gen Stephan pointed out that 1t ap-
peared now that there was little hope
of the bill getting through at this ses-
sion unless the President. as comman-
der-in- chief of the local Guard, put
his influence behind the measure. II
was pointed out that for 20 years the
armory question has been before Con-
gress. but sometimes IL would pass one
house and meet obstacles in the other,
and then would come change In the
houses. and 1t would meet obstacles In
the branch which had passed 1t before,
a sort of foot ball that has never reached
goal. In the meantime the Guard
has struggled along with difficulty In
quarters that were wholly inadequate
and even unsuitable for drill purposes
Secretary Davis did not indicate any
decision in the matter. but he said that
he would like to have the matter be-
fore him so that he could make de-
cision. according to Guard officials.
He did say, the Guard officers reported,
that when the memorandum came to
him he would give it his very earnest
attention.
The medical detachment, 12lst Regi-
ment of Engineers, commanded by Maj.
George j. Allen, created surprise at
inspection. as we'll as favorable COM
ment, last week. when. after trailing
the bottom of the attendance list for
several weeks. 1t jumped in to the "su-
perior" classification and took second
place from the top of the whole list.
Mai. Allen says that the unit expects
now to stay in this class up to the an
nual encampment and expects to carry
full complement to Cascade, Md,
The jump in attendance OF this unit
is one of the greatest taken by any of
the units. 1t was the night Of the an
nual inspection. and every officer and
man present was in full uniform. prop
erly pressed and cleaned, and made as
fine an appearance as any organization
in the Guard.
The percentage reached by the medi-
cal detachment was 1855. well over the
dividing line, and was only topped by
the band, l2lst Engineers, which
showed up with an attendance OF 100.
The other organizations in their CLASH
fications. with percentages, follow:
Superior-Company F, 12lst Engi-
neers. $3.50; Company E. l2lst Engi-
neers, 93.l6: Headquarters and Service
Company, 12lst Engineers, 92.87: Quar-
termaster Corps Detachment, 92.S7.
Excellent--Headquar Detachment.
29th Division, 1924; Company D, l2lst
Engineers. 1894
Very satisfactory-Headqu De-
tachment, 260th Coast Artillery, 1900;
Company C. l2lst Engineers, 72.06.
Satisfactory-Battery G. 260th Coast
Artillery. 6s43; Company A. 372d In
fantry. 65.l6: Battery B. 260th Coast
Artillery. 64.7l: Battery A, 260th Coast
Artillery, 6347; Headquarters Detach-
ment. Special Troops, 2eth Division.
62.50.
Unsatisfactory-2sth Military Police
Company. 56.s7; Company A, l2lst En-
gineers. $500.
Very neutrality-suspicious. B,
i2lst Engineers. 4s.49.
The following have made application
TO attend one of the citizens military
u dulAIlS SdAIipos Gbb. N1cOAkC n. No"
thorne, Company r, 12lst Engineers;
and Corpl. Walter e. Horn,
Company F. 12ist Engineers.
Col. James B. Mitchell, Inspector
Generals Department, was at the
armory several days last week making
an inspection OF property, land used by
the local Guard, and making inquiries
as to the amount of money spent on
the Guard by the District government.
1t was said at Brigade Headquarters
that they have had an inspection from
one branch of the Army or another
each month since December. This in
spection Is In addition TO the regular
armory inspections recently held by
regular officers of the Army ordered
here for the specific purpose.
With Lieut.. Col. Lewis @. Brinton.
adjutant general of the Guard. Col.
visited all Of the storehouses
and the rife range at Congress Heights,
D. C.
Mai. Walter w. Burns, commanding
the 260th Coast Artillery, has been de-
tailed as personal defense counsel for
Pvt. Henry j. Krumm. Goth Military
Police Company. who has been ordered
before q general court-martial TO face
charges of disobedience of orders grow
Inc out OF, 1t Is alleged, his refusal TO
take an injection OF anti-typhoid pro-
phylaxis when ordered to do so.
A large field searchlight has been re-
ceived by the 260th Coast Artillery, and
Is to be placed In use In a short time
On drill nights. II is part OF the equip
ment Of this unit, which was recently
changed from a coast defense organi-
zation to anti-aircraft battalion. In
for maneuvers the organi-
zation has obtained the use Of the Gov
land on the water front ada
cent 10 Its armory at Water and o
streets southwest, and which was for
merly used for the storage of small
boats. Here parade ground Of con-
siderable size is being laid out under
he direction OF Maj. Walter w. Burns.
Gen. Stephan has requested the chief
1f the Militia Bureau for authority to
organize a separate medical detach-
ment for the 280th Coast Artillery Bat
talion. He pointed out 10 the War
bureau that the local or
ganization now consists OF three bat
.eries and a headquarters detachment
Jf i84 men. and adds that these Or
yanizations hold their annual encamp-
nent at Fort Monroe, Va. where they
ire established at considerable distance
rom hospital facilities at Fort Monroe