Evening star., 1928-05-27

Guard O. the District of Columbia, an
having been met With a similar repol
this year, local National Guard official
have fiaTed back on the report an
figuratiS Y have told the Army to te
IT to Congress. The War Department
has condemned the local facilities fc
years. and yet when the National Guar
officers. as last resort in a 20-yea
fight 10 obtain an armory, asked th
support of the War Department for
bill, now pending in Congress, to trans
fer the Pension once Building to tn
Guard for arnlory and drill purpose.
the Secretary of War has respondel
that the Army needs space here, an
the application of the Guard will b
considered in connection with tn
wants of the department for space il
buildings
This seemed to be the straw whicl
broke the load which the Guard ha
been carrying for years of moving fron
building 10 building. each more un
satisfactory than the previous one the,
occupied. Each year days have beer
spent by Guard officials i'll trying TO III
terest not only the local but the Fed
eral authorities Of the need for train
ing space for the local troops, who nov
are crowded In the Government Hote
Buildings on the Union Station Plaza
which soon are to So in connection with
the plans for improving this area be-
tween the Capitol and the Union Sta
tion as q great parkway.
A letter came last week from head
quarters of the Sd Corps Area, at Bal
tllnove. under whose jurisdiction the local
Guard actlvitie~ come. and containing
the following extract from report OF
survey Of activities Of the senior in
structor and the United States prop
erty and 0isburSing officer. District of
Columbia National Guard. for infor-
nation and remark:
entirely unsuitable for the storage of
Federal property. The building is a
temporary one, the property of the
United States, and does not afford suf-
fcient protection from fire and loss by
theft. The windows and doors are
not secure. A more suitable storehouSe
located in the same building with the
Office Of the United States property and
0lshurSing officer is badly needed for
the storage Of supplies, not in bulk.
needed for quick issue to organizations.
Recommendations; That suitable
storehouse be provided by the District
OF Columbia authorities for Federal
property required for immediate issue
10 units"
The officials Of the local Guard
realize that IT is comparatively easy for
the superior officers TO sit in Baltimore
and write recommendations OF this kind
but 20 years Of real effort TO get a
building, with the prospect of adding
another year this year, is another
thing, so Maj Gen. Anton Stephan.
commanding the local Guard. sent the
following remark" on the letter:
The National Guard of the District
o! Columbia Is dependent on the United
States Congress for armory and storage
facilities. The matter Of storage facil-
tiles has been before Congress ap-
proximately 20 years, but without result.
II is suggested that q communication
be addressed 10 the chairman Of the
United States Public Buildings Comnlis-
sion and the District OF Columbia Com
n11Ssioners advising them Of the re-
port IN this case"
The suggestion that the report be
sent % other branches of the Govern
Inent, il Is declared. literally throws the
problems OF getting an armory here
into the hands Of the War Department
oncials. and they should either stop
writing derugatory reports on the con-
c1lors here or give helping hand 10
the local Guard officials in getting
something done.
Apparent czrelessness in handling
Government property committed 70
their carr u connection with drilling
and training activities is very likely
70 be costly to several Of the officers
OF the local Guard. according to infor-
nation impaired at brigade headuuar-
ters, where Il was said that a num-
Der o. surveys for lost and missing
property sent 70 the War Department
have been sent back without approval.
Il was pointed out that some months
ago q general memorandum was sent
out 70 officers with property accounta-
D1lity that the War Department was
going % tighten UP on survey reports, and
would not allow them unless it was
SHOWN beyond doubt that the officer
responsible had not been neglectful
However, Il was said al the headQuar-
terE that some Of the officers did not
take the warning seriously. with the
result that they are likely TO have 10
pay for the responsibility
Heretofore. when property has been
missing. cue TO men taking it home and
not returning ii. formal surveys have
been MADE with an explanation OF the
reasons for the disappearance and rec
ommen6ing that the responsible officer
be relieved of the charge. These have
generally been allowed But the fare
back came several days ago when four
surveys, ranging IN value from $50 70
500 were returned by the War De-
partn1ent. with request for more In
formation. and an indication that they
would not be allowed unless a better
showing could be made The total
value Of the property in these surveys
vas said 70 be in the neighborhood o.
$500. and this deficiency very probably
viii have 70 be made up out of the
personal funds of the oficers con-
'oeTned.
While Il is regretted by the head
quarters cfnceTE that this has happened
they express the hope that IL will be
q wholesome lesson 70 the entire brigade
here. and that officers will be more par
ticulzr IN keeping a check Of tl1eil
property and IL IL lis lost by the mer
they VIII take IL out Of the quarterly
pay rolls instead Of allowing II to &C.
e4lnulate until It's DISAPPEARANCE /,
otfhcglt TO explain.
Second Lieut. William A. Gormley
Infantry. assigned 70 the 29th MilitarJ
Police Company. was presented With
MS commission a. formal exercises he1E
an the of1ce Of MAJ. Gen Anton
stephan, commanding the local brigade
IL the iatter's ONCE Tuesday night.
The 32lst Regiment of Engineers vii
not hold its weekly drill Tuesday nigbi
because NJ the issuance Of an order Ssfs-
pending II IN order not 70 exceed ths
authorized number Of assemblies durlnf
the fourth quarter of the current flsca
year. However. special authority 1sl
been granted Capt. Clarence 8. Shield
20 assemble Company r. which he com
nnzn1E, On that night. 10 order " maxi
up one assembly suspended during tht
first quarter u the year.
Corp Lloyd Nell Headquarters am
EeYvice Company, izist Engineers. flal
been ordered promoted ~ the grade o
staff sergeant and detailed for DUTY 81
.nxusa - -FfaS tfeF 80 a1ae ~ EzffzR4oF n