Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01

While declaring that better armory
facilities for the National Guard in Q
number Of States have done much to-
ward improving the storage conditions
and care Of military property, Maj. Gen.
Greed G. Hammond, in his annual re-
, port as chief of the Militia Bureau Of
the War Department, particularly points
out the lack of proper facilities In the
District of Columbia.
In connection with the subject OF
armorieS," he says, ~ consider 1t neces-
sary to again point to the exceedingly
unsatisfactory conditions existing in the
| City OF washington relative to armory
facilities for the District of Columbia
National Guard. AS a requisite for Fed
eral recognition Of National Guard units
the Federal Government requires the
several States to maintain suitable
with the foregoing requirement exacted
Of the States that the National Guard
units in the Nations Capital are so in
adequately and poorly housed"
Discussing conditions in the Sd Corps
Area, in which the District National
Guard is located, Gen. Hammond says
that, In general, the National Guard
has attained reasonable expectations;
advance noted in the building of armo-
and equipment and training methods.
Among the weak points noted we're
large turnovers in personnel and lack Of
suitable armorieS. The strong points
given were that half Of the National
Guard Of the corps area were located in
| one State; well established training
camps; excellent in armories in two
| States.
Gen, Hammonds comment on the
armory situation in the Capital City
brings to the fore the question of fair
ness on the part Of the Federal Govern
ment. The local National Guard has
been declared Federal institution, so
much so that a former Attorney Cen
eral rendered an opinion that the Pub
| lie Buildings Commission was required
| to find and allot 1t space in the same
manner that 1t provides for the Gov
eminent departments here. District Of
Metals, too, have heretofore taken the
stand that as the local Guard has been
decided to be Federal institution, that
the United States Government should
foot the bill for the provision Of an ade-
Quate armory. On the other hand, the
view Is held by certain members Of
Congress that the District of Columbia,
out Of local funds, should provide the
armory as the States are required to do,
in order to secure Federal recognition
for their units. So, 1t has been for years,
with one branch of the Government
saying the other ought to do it, the
Guard has been kicked around from
place to place until it now has the worst
armory facilities 1t has ever had, most
all Of its units being housed in one of
the old Government hotel buildings on
the Union Station Plaza, facing, weekly,
the possibility of being disposSeSsed be-
cause Of the plans to use the ground for
improvement as q part of the Capitol
grounds, between the building and the
| Union Station.
It was pointed to as rather incon-
sistent that the War Department has to
insist that the States provide adequate
armory facilities for their units before
the latter are federally recognized and
are issued the thousands Of dollars
worth Of equipment, when the Federal
Government itself Is setting g poo: e%
ample by failing or refusing to provide
adequate facilities for its own little
band Of citizen soldiers. Those familiar
with the National Guard activities point
out that the Federal Government should
take the lead and set an example Of
what it desires in armories by providing
model building In the National
| Capital.
The officers Of the local Guard, for
more than a quarter of q century, have
been trying to have building provided,
but so far have failed. Bill after bill
has been introduced In Congress, and
| the end of each session has found the
bills still on the list Of proposed legisla-
ton not acted upon.
Maj. Gen. Stephan, commanding
general Of the local Guard, said that he
was now formulating plans for appeal
ing to Congress again this year Il