Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19

Just when several of the organiza-
tons composing the National Guard OF
the District of Columbia were begin
ming to push themselves out of the
cramped quarters which they occupy
in the North Capitol street armory by
knocking down some of the partitions
and otherwise making the living spaces
more attractive to the men at other
times than drills comes an order that
no more remodeling can be done. The
order was said to have been issued on
the request of the United States Hous-
ing Corporation pending decision as
to the future use and occupancy OF
T-U Building"
This suggestion seems to have an
ominous touch for the Guard, which
now has almost become used to being
kicked around in unsuitable rented
quarters. 1t has taken over two OF
the groups and has made the best of
its facilities. but the request from the
Housing Corporation makes it appear
mat the Guard is riding for a dump
ing into the street, and, fortunately, it
is Summertime.
Just what the buildings may be used
for Is appaf entity not clear at this time,
but there is a probability that cOnSid-
Grafton is being given to fitting them
uu Tor hotel purposes again when 1t
becomes necessary to give up the build
ings adjacent to the Capitol Grounds,
which are to be torn down to make
way for park extension in the direc-
ton of the Union Station.
Should such a move be tried. it will
result in throwing all of the units into
one group of buildings, cramped worse
than they have ever been at any pre-
vious time. and it would be remark
able if it didn't break the spirit of the
citizen soldiers who have worked for
weeks remodeling the quarters in their
own time so that they would be most
inviting. If it should be decided to
take This building away from the
Guard, it will carry with it the efforts
of scores of guardsmen to make an
attractive armory out of nothing. and
this in the face of the fact that the
Federal Congress has consistently re-
fused, or at least failed, to give the
local troops suitable place in which
they take their weekly drill training
as a part of the preparations for an
ADEQUATE national defense. -
The buildings are wartime struc-
lures. put up by the Government when
1t went into the hotel business in order
to properly take care of the great influx
OF female workers during the conflict.
They are expensive to maintain. and,
while entirely unsuitable for armory
training purposes, have nevertheless
been used. The small rooms into which
the structures were divided have been
made larger by the simple expedient Of
knocking down partitions.
Several of the units recently have
succeeded in raising the esprit of their
organizations by fitting up attractive
clubrooms where the men could spend
their spare moments after drill, and
where small entertainments could be
given on off-drill nights Most of this
labor of love was done in the building
about which the order has just been
issued. What it all means remains to
be seen. but there is a very strong hope
in the Guard personnel that nothing
will be done to destroy the spirit of the
organizations, which seemed to have
taken a decided advance. making the
best of their lot in the face of the re-
fusal of their Government to even pro-
vide them a fit place in which they
can train for any national emergency
Aside from this i'll wind, which seems
to be heading for the building, there
have just been made public the inspec-
ton reports of the Regular Army Off
GERS who recently made the annual
check-up of the units composing the
local Guard. One of these reports, dis
cussing the storage facilities for Fed
eral property of the United States prop
erty and disbursing officer, says:
'One end of temporary war building
is used as a storehouse. This building
is not considered suitable for this use,
nor does it afford adequate protection
to property stored therein. This is not
the fault of the officer concerned. With
in the limitations imposed by these
conditions, his arrangement and care
of property is satisfactory"
Another inspector, who looked over
the 121st Regiment of Engineers, has
this to say:
This regiment is CHARTERED in old
and unsatisfactory wooden buildings,
with leaking roofs and very small rooms.
Proper protection against neither fire
nor theft can be had, due to the nature
of the construction. The efficiency of