Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
District National Guard

of Columbia will be shown to num-
Der of distinguished guests tomorrow
evening Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan,
commanding the goth National Guard
Division and the local brigade, has sent
out several score invitations to officers
of the Army, the District of Columbia
Commissioners. officials of the local
trade and civic bodies and to news
paper men inviting them to visit the
building tomorrow evening, when they
will be escorted through it for the pur-
pose of giving them first-hand infor-
nation on the conditions under which
the local citizen troops receive their
training.
Preceding the reception, the time for
which has been set for $3.50 O'Clock,
Gen. Stephan will conduct the annual
Spring conference of the commissioned
personnel of the organization to discuss
various matters affecting the Guard.
All officers of the State staff, the 29th
Division and the 260th Coast Artillery
have been ordered to report in uniform
to the commanding general at the Ma
tional Hotel Armory at 1880 O'Clock TO-
morrow night, and not only be prepared
for the conference but also to accom-
pany the official guests on their inspec-
ton of the building. Commanding Off
GERS of all units quartered in the build
ing at Sixth street and Pennsylvania
avenue have been instructed to prepare
their quarters and the quarters under
their command for the inspection.
The orders also direct that the COM
manding officer of the 121st Regiment
of Engineers. Col. John w. Oehmann,
have the regimental band present at 8
o'clock. While the inspection tomor-
row night is for the official guests whom
Gen. Stephan has invited, the orders
give authority to the regimental and
separate battalion commanders to ar
range for a formal inspection OF quar-
tiers under their Jurisdiction by friends
of members of their commands on
Tuesday evening, between and D
o'clock.
Gen. Stephan stated that though only
temporary. pending need of the site
for the municipal center, the present
building is the most adequate which
the Guard has occupied for many years.
Since the organization went into the
building considerable renovation has
been done and the structure has been
placed in a most presentable condition.
The enlisted personnel have worked
long and hard to fit up their quarters
to make them attractive not only Tor
training purposes but to serve as club
rooms for members.
LedulIlS Jlle llSt VI SuCooo 40
Secretary of War Patrick j. Hurley,
and the others include Maj. Gen. Sum-
neral, chief of staff. and other high
ranking officers of the Army, including
the chief of the Militia Bureau of the
War Department.
While much has been done on the
building and attractive lounging rooms
have been established on the first floor;
there is still some doubt as to how long
the organization will be allowed to re-
main. In the absence OF any special
provision being made for an armory for
the local troops, there is hope that
they will be allowed to remain in the
present structure for some years. How
ever, 1t will have to be RACED as soon
as Congress appropriates the funds with
which to begin the construction of the
new municipal center, of which this
structure occupies a part of the site.
Although the District of Columbia
Commissioners have been invited to be
present at the inspection, they have
forwarded their regrets at being unable
to attend, owing to previous engage
ments.. However,, other representatives
of the District government will be pres
ent, some of whom are dealing with the
armory problem now, being members OF
the special committee appointed to con-
slider the matter, and which recently
conducted a public hearing, when 1t was
found that there was absolutely no
opposition on the part of the citizens
to. the provision of funds for such a
structure.
Brigade headquarters has approved
the request of Olaf w. Christopherson,
Company A, 121st Engineers, for per-
mission to attend the blue course at
one of the citizens military training
camps this Summer.
Preliminary recommendations for the
movement of troops of the local Guard
from their home stations to the sites
of the annual encampments have been
received from the passenger association
for this territory, 1t was said at brigade
headquarters. This association Is al
lowed to make the recommendations
under a contract with the War Depart
ment, by which the Government obtains
per cent reduction in rates. How
ever, 1t was indicated that if other
modes of travel are found more reason
able the recommendations may not be
followed.
For the staff of the 29th National
Guard Division, the Headquarters De-
tachment and the goth Division, Mill
tary Police Company, the association
recommends that they go by train to
Fort George G. Meade, where the Or
CARNATIONS will participate in a big
command post exercise for the division.
The association recommended that the
121st Engineers go by train to Accotink.
Va, where they will have to be trans
ferred by other means of transporta-
ton to the campsitt at Fort Hum
phreys, Va. However, it was indicated
that this may be made a subject of
discussion, because of the belief that
it would be more economical to take
the troops to this Virginia post by bus.
The buses could be loaded at the
armory and the troops taken directly
to their company streets for disem-
barking. In this connection it was in
Dictated that the troops will not be
placed in barracks, as they have been
heretofore when they camped at Fort
Humphreys, but will be camped in tents
in the area between the post and the
main gate on the Richmond Washing
ton road.
II 26Oth Coast Artillery, as usual
will proceed to Fort Monroe, Va, by
boat, and the recommendation has been
made that Company A. 372d Infantry.
the colored contingent, be sent to Camp
Albert c. Ritchie, at Cascade, Md, by
bus.
Sergt. John A. Dodd, Engineer School
Detachment, Fort Humphreys, Va, has
been ordered to the deached enlisted
mems list, and assigned to the 121st
Engineers of the local Guard as in
structor. He will relieve Sergt. James
r. Allison, who has been ordered to
Fort Humphreys, Va, for duty. The
change is effective Immediately.
The Washington Light Infantry, one
of the local veteran organizations of the
Guard, received last week an invita-
ton in behalf of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. the Massachusetts, Bay
Colony Tercentenary Commiss IN, to at
tend the convention Of the entennial