Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22

small arms instruction and firing, ma
chine-gun instruction and firing. There
is range available all the year for
target practice.
Special attention is directed to the
new machine gun battery now being
organized which has already created
much interest in the District. The
commanding officer extends an invita-
ton to all interested to visit the armory
on any drill night to ascertain first
hand what the Coast Artillery regiment
has to offer. Those interested also are
urged to communicate with Lieut.. Mil
Ter, plans and training officer, at the
armory, National $685..
| The following have been ordered
! transferred from the active to the re-
serve lists of their respective organiza-
tons for the reasons stated:
| Business interference with the per-
Torrance of military duty: Pvt. Beverly
A. Davenport, Battery A, 260th Coast
Artillery; Pvt. Edward r. Dovers, Head
quarters and Service Company, 121st
! Engineers; Pvt. Lester E. diff, Head
quarters and Service Company, 121st
Engineers: Pvt. Lester S. Keefauver,
Company E, 121st Engineers.
! Educational interference with the
performance of military duty-Pvt. Jo-
seph S. Goodkowitz, Company E, 12lst
Engineers; Pvt. George P. Hill, jr., Com
pany E, 121st Engineers.
, Temporary absence from the District
of Columbia-Pvt. Thomas L. Edmon-
ston, Company D, 121st Engineers.
| The following have been transferred
from the active to the reserve lists of
their respective organizations for the
| reasons given:
Business interference with the per-
| Torrance of military duty-Pvt. Joseph
j. Miles, Headquarters Detachment,
goth Division; Pvt. George E. Reynolds,
Headquarters Detachment, 18th d.
vision.
Temporary absence from the District
of Columbia-Pvt. Harry L. Ferguson,
10Th Division Military Police Company.
The Goldprick. official organ of
the Division Headquarters Troops,
last week contained a laudation Of
Lieut.. Willard L. Hammer upon his
completion of three years of service
without missing a single drill.
! Brigade Headquarters last week re-
| ceived notice from the Takoma Park
| Citizens Association that that body has
passed a resolution urging the provision
of an armory for the training of the
local troops.
Lieut.. Col. Frederick H. Smith, ad-
! jutant general of the local Guard, this
week will go to West Point to visit his
son, who is cadet at the United States
Military Academy. Col. Smith has
| been granted five days leave of absence.
The applications of First Lieut. John
! G.. May and Second Lieut.. Samuel w.
Marsh to attend the Engineer School at
Fort Humphreys, Va, from March to
June 6, next, have been forwarded by
brigade headquarters to the Militia
Bureau.
Capt. Arthur L. Smith, chaplain of
the 121st Regiment of Engineers, has
accepted a commission in the Chap
lain's Corps of the Officers Reserve.
Wedding out of officers in the National
Guard Reserve throughout the country
is indicated in a report OF the Militia
Bureau. During the past year, 1t was
said, the Militia Bureau has made a
very thorough study of the subject OF
the status of officers in the National
Guard Reserve and, in communicating
with the various State authorities, re-
ceived many excellent suggestions
which have been given careful con-
sideration in the preparation of recon-
mendationS for appropriate and neceS-
sary legislation held to be desirable for
increasing the efficiency of the Ma
tional Guard Reserve. A number of the
States have made a thorough inVeSti-
CATION of the officer personnel under
their jurisdiction and discharged many
who were not desired for retention for
various reasons. Notwithstanding the
discharge of several hundred officers, the
result has been a net increase in the
National Guard Reserve as whole.
Pending legislation, the Militia Blu
erau says that it is continuing it's con-
| Cd IF "a
serve with a view to taking such adj
ministrative action as may be feasible
to increase its efficiency. The studies
being made include the question of the
assignment of officers to active organi-
cations of the National Guard to fill
positions authorized by war strength
tables of organization. 1t is believed
that the making of an increased num-
Der of such assignments will stimulate
and develop the interest of National
Guard Reserve officers in military mat
tiers and have a tendency to increase
their efficiency and dependability as a
reserve force to considerable extent
over what exists at the present time.
AS in the case of officers of the Guard
Reserve, 1t is believed by the Army au-
thorities that the interest of the en-
listed personnel in military matters can
best be maintained by assigning them
to organizations in which instruction
ana training may be given them, rather
than by permitting them to remain in
an unassigned status in which there are
no practical means for increasing their
efficiency. The authorities say that I'M
less there is some appropriate action
taken by the various State authorities
to maintain the military efficiency of
the enlisted men of the National Guard
Reserve it is evident that it cannot be
depended upon as a reliable body of
men ready for use in time of either
State or national emergency.