Evening star., 1932-04-14
GUARDSMEN FACE
80 PER CENT CUT
Chief of D. C. Organization
Sees Grave Handicap;
Musters Facts.

Faced with a cut in funds of ap-
proximately so per cent under the ap-
preparation of $50. 400 embodied in the
District bill reported to the HouSe IT,
day, the District National Guard will
be seriously handicapped" if the re-
duction stands, it was said by Maj.
Gen. Anton Stephan, the commanding
general.
Advised of the provisions affecting
the National Guard, Gen. Stephan said
that he and his staff would immediate
~ undertake a study in detail, for the
purpose of seeking in the House modi-
fications deemed necessary If that
move fails, he added, the cause OF the
Guard will be presented at Senate hear
ingS on the measure.
A preliminary study Of the appropria-
tion as reported indicates three items
on which the Guard will be affected
most seriously:
Guardsmen's Pay Threatened.
A slash of $3.50 for personal services
seems certain to reduce both office and
custodial forces at the two armorles.
An elimination of 1000 for pay OF
troops other than men employed by
the Government will cut the emolument
of GuardSmen leaving the ordinary
civilian pursuits to attend annual en-
campments.
Elimination of s., 500 for target prac-
tice cuts off the money that hereto
fore has gone, in general for main
tenance of the rifle range in Congress
Heights and to finance the trips of the
Guard rife team, now holding the ma
tional championship of the National
Guard.
For the current year the Guard had
S6l, 100. and an increase of 81, 1000 had
been sought, which made the reduction
under the bill s28, 700.
For personal service. S25,000 was
allowed. This was divided-$l9,000 for
general Office and custodial force and
$4,000 for temporary labor. This COM
pared to $27,l50-for 16 regular en-
ployes-and $1,000, respectively, for
these items in the current year. 1t is
here that personnel slaShes loom.
Armories Item Slashed.
Under expense of camps (armories)
there was a cut of $4,000 from $12,501
asked There are two armories-head-
quarters at the old National Hotel, and
the Coast Artillery Armory at Water
and o streets The largest item of
expenditure for these is fuel and light,
which takes up about onethird of the
total cost.
The power and light plant at the
headquarters armory also takes care of
eight stores in the building which are
rented out by the District government.
This armory not only in the head
quarters of the District Guard. but also
for some Guardsmen in Virginia, Mary
land and Pennsylvania included in the
29th Division, which Gen. Stephan
heads. 1t was explained, however, that
very little expense may be said to be
laid at the door of these outside units
Under printing and postage, $3.50 was
cut of and $500 allowed. Postage alone
has been running more than this, &C
counting for 5000 in 1881
The travelling expenses for attend
ance at shooting matches, which goes
out under the elimination of the 81 500
item, have been running in the neigh
borhood of $1,000. These matches, it
was said, have done much to encourage
rife practice. Under this appropriation
too, the District Guard has received
rations in its year-around practice ses-
sions.
Used by Federal Troops.
The range is extensively used also
by Federal troops in this area, c. M.
T. c. and r. o. T. c. trainees high
school cadets and civilian marksmen
The range itself, which is in fact, a
small camp, will still be able to be used
but there are certain expenses Incl
dent to upkeep that would have to be
done away with.
In cutting off the pay of troops other
than Government employees in attend
ance at the annual encampments
Guard officials foresee a handicap to
obtaining enlistments
Under the law enlisted men who are
Government employees draw their
regular pay, and Army pay, when at
tending camp while those from the
outside get from so cents to Sl.25
day in addition to their Army pay. this
rate being based on attendance at drill.
This allowance is designed, in a meas
ure, to equalize the status of the two
classes, and makes up in part pay
which non-Government workers may
forfeit in their regular occupations to
attend encampments Guard strength
is rs officers and 987 enlisted men, and
about two-thirdS of these are not
Federal workers.
Funds Beyond Control.
The other reduction was 5000, or
about so per cent in the item for clean
ing and repairing uniforms and equip
ment.
It was pointed out in connection with
the proposed bill that the Guard gets GER
tain allowances from the War Depart
ment, such as Army pay, drill pay and