Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-06

bring better housing facilities for tn
local troops, and correct a condition
which is seriously affecting the prope
training of the local militiamen 70
their field service in case of need.
Progress Of the National Guard o
the District of Columbia in its prepare
ton for employment when needed hav
ing continued during 1929" said thu
greeting of Mai Gen Anton Stephan
commanding the local troops, ''it i:
desired TO express to the organization,
and to the individuals Of the Guard tht
satisfaction of the commanding gen.
eral with the work performed. The CO.
operation Of officers and men as q
whole has contributed to the genera
welfare and development of the Guard
1T is to be regretted that there has
been no decided step forward in tbs
matter of housing. Lack Of adequate
armory facilities is a handicap affecting
seriously every phase al our efforts, j
is hoped that the ensuing wear with
the advent Of new administration
may bring a definite commitment Of
the government and that VIC will re-
ceive some guarantee that our needs
are to be cared for.
u express to each Of you my best
wishes for happy and successful year
in 1929. both in your National Guard
work and in your. civilian endeaVorS. =
Since the issuance Of the above greet
ing to the Guard. the news has come
that the National Guard Association Of
the United States. in a week or two,
was going to actively take up the cud-
gels of the Guard in its 20-year lonely
fight for arn1o'f facilities for the mill
tia here, and was going to press Con-
gress, through the power of its country
wide force. with need Of a proper
armory for the local militia. and the
belief was expressed by those in close
touch with the plan Of action that
something definite would be done at
the present short session of Congress.
Brig. Gen. e. A. Walsh. adjutant
general of the National Guard of Min
nesota, and president of the National
Guard Association of the United States.
tt was learned was at local brigade head
quarters Of the Guard last week. and
held a long conference with Mai. Gen.
Anton Stephan, to ascertain the status
Of the armory matter here, for the pur-
pose Of preparing a plan of attack on
the Federal legislative body to force
out at this session some definite appro-
priation with which to provide neces-
S9ry and adequate armory facilities
for the local troops. 1t was further
announced that Gen. Walsh after a
brief trip out Of the city would proba-
bly, return this week and actively be-
sin the task Of getting an armory for
the local troops. Gen Walsh, it was
said at brigade headquarters, expressed
himself as quite confident that some
thing definite would come out of the
present session.
The activities Of Gen. Walsh are the
result Of action taken at the recent
convention of the National Guard Asso-
citation of the United States at Hot
Springs, Ark, when that organization
passed resolution directing both
It's executive committee and its legis-
latlVe committee to actively work in
the interest of the local Guard. and to
put the tull force Of the organizations
political machine behind the local
troops with a view to bringing to sat
lsfactory end what has been a 20-vear
1fultleSs fight. Heretofore the Guard
association has merely expressed it's
wish that adequate provision should he
made Tor an armory fer the troous of
the National Guard.
Just what kind of action will be
sought OF Congress was not divulged at
the brigade headquarters, but it is be-
AeVed that something will be sought
Wnlcn Will give the local troops a fit
ting nome which it can begin to Use in
q snort time in place of the very moor
quarters which are now occupied by the
Guard in one of the old Government
Hotel buildings on the Union Station
F!aza. There is pending in both houses
" y, congress a measure which provides
tnat the Pension Office building, in .Ju-
olclary Square, shall be turned over TO
ttle Ouaro Tor arnlory purposes, when it
IS vacated by the General Accounting
Office, which is eventually to have 3
new building in the Avenue triangle
among the other Government strlc-
lures. However, it was pointed out that
II PROBABLY viii be 10 years before such
q oonolng is erected and occupied by
LnlS of1lce, SO the Guard must have a
pace In the interim Another problem
which might have to be faced prior to
mat time would be the forced vacating
on us present quarters should Congress
PROVIDE for an immediate cleaning IN
OF the area between the present Capitol
GROUNDS and the Union Station Plaza.
Inere IS the hope the Guard asso-
Clauon officials may be able to impress
strongly on the Congress the necessity
OF making immediate provision for the
local troops. by authorizing the cree
tiol OF a building specially for them as
q nttlng memorial to those of the Dis
tT1ct OF Columbia who have gone to the
front whenever the Nation called for
nelp from its citizenry on the field of
patue. AT eny rate, the officers and
men OF the Guard would be glad to see
PROVIDED almost any sort of building
which would give them half a chance
% op!an the training which they must
get IL months of the year in a build
ing.
Plans are being formulated for the
annual armory inspection of the units
composing the local Guard and the pro-
posed oates have been sent to head
quarters OF the Third Army Corps for
approval. Twenty-Five ORGANIZATIONS are
10 be inspected here between ApriI 2
ana April Is, by officers OF the Regular
army detailed from various posts in the
1hlro Corps Area. as the inspections
are not conducted by the regular in
Soructors temporarily attached to the
ORGANIZATIONS. These inspections are
Tor the purpose of determining whether
the respective units are uniformed aud
equipped and trained in accordance
with War Department regulations and
determines whether Federal recogni-
ton viii be continued throughout the
ensuing year The tentative dates which
nave been suggested TO corps area head
quarters by Lieut.. Col p. H. Smith
adJutant general, are as follows:
April 8-Medical Department Detach-
ment, SGD Infantry, and Company A
372d Infantry
April State administrative staff
headquarters, 18th Division: HeadQuar-
ters Detachment. goth Division: head
quarters. 29th Division Special Troops
3nd the Headquarters Detachment. 29th
Division Special Troops.
April 10-29th Division Military poIice
Company
April Headquarters, 260th Coast
Artillery.
April 16-Medical Department De-
tachment, 260th Coast Artillery: head
quarters OF the First and Second Pat
tallons, 12lst Engineers. and heacinllar-