Evening star., 1932-04-24

While willing to take its share OF the
reductions in connection with the Gov
ernment's plan to reduce expenses, the
local National Guard officials feel that
they have been sliced an undue amount
by the House committee in reporting
the appropriation recommendations Tor
the local Militia for the coming tscal
year. Mai. Gen. Anton Stephan, COM
manding the local Militia Brigade, an
nounced in q statement that he Is en-
gagged in all possible activity in an
effort to have the Senate restore to the
District appropriation bill items now
reduced under the House recommenda-
tions.
The reduction placed on the District
Guards figures, as compared with those
Of the current fiscal year amounts to
As DIR cent, Gen. Stephan says. The
state nent said that Gen. Stephan con-
tinu, to emphasize the fact that the
Dist let of Columbia National Guard
desi es to bear its fair share of the
gent sal reduction. He adds, however,
that he is anxious, as are all members
of I ae local National Guard, that the
locs Militia be dealt with fairly in the
maj ;er of reductions and not reduced
by . larger percentage than any other
act ity of the District Of Columbia.
MS total reduction, it was said, will
seri ously hamper the training Of the
loci Guard during the next fiscal year.
Th, Guard particularly feels the cutting
from the bill, as reported, of the fund
by which enlisted men who are en-
ploTes of private firms are paid from so
ceiits to S125 a day for each day In
carp above their Federal pay. This
furd was established to place the pri-
vate employees on a somewhat similar
plane with those of the Federal and
District governments who are members
Of the Guard. These latter employees
when they perform military duty are
furnished with a service card, and do
not have any of their annual leave
taken away from them by reason Of
their time off serving in a military
status On the other hand, 1t was said
that the employees Of private firms many
times lose money in order to go to camp.
Many of the present members OF the
Guard were informed OF this addi-
tional payment at the time they enlisted
in the local Militia, and it is considered
more or ,esS a part Of their contract
with the Government. There Is fear
that when camp time arrives this year
many of the men will plead excuses for
not going into the field for training,
pointing out that they cannot afford to
lose the money. Military training, 1t Is
expected, will suffer
Training on the rife range at Camp
Simms is expected to - seriously hit
after the first of next July If the House
recommendations also pre- tail in the
Senate. With the cuts in Allowances
for the custodial force, it hight be
necessary to drop some of tie en-
ployes used in maintaining the range,
nd Cf h., 1s,,fr
Sequently suffer.
The general expense fund is seri-
ously cut, and 1t is pointed out that II
the amount recommended by the House
prevails 1t will be barely sufficient for
heating and lighting Of armories, with
nothing for the other necessary ex-
penses. The main armory of the local
Guard IL in the old National Hotel
Building, and 1t is necessary to main
tain the heating service at all times, be-
cause the Government has rented to
private individuals some of the stores
which are on the street floor.
The building is one of those pur-
chased BY the District government as a
part OF the site for the proposed Mu-
nlclpal Center. The Guard is to oc-
cupy this building until it is time to
raze 1t, or until the Public Buildings
Commission allots it other space. While
the structure, like others which the
Guard has been compelled to occupy for
years, Is unsu1ted for armory purposes,
nevertheless the organization Is making
the best use OF 1t possible. About all 1t
provides Is company rooms and storage
facilities for the Government equipment
loaned to the Guard for training pur-
poses.
The Guard Is hoping that plans may
soon be made for 1t to move into the
Pension ONCE Building, in Judiciary
Square. This structure now is occupied
by the General Accounting Office, which
is to be provided for in the new build
ings to be erected in the Avenue Tri-
angle. The Pension Building, it is de-
clared by the Guard officials is ideal
for training purposes, as the entire first
floor could be used for the indoor drill
ing of troops, a facility which they
do not have in the Pennsylvania ave-
nue. armory. The only close order drill
which the companies and battalions now
have is in fair weather, when they have
to march to the Mall, a section Of
which has been allotted to them as a
drill field.
The local Guard is going right ahead
in making preparations for its Summer
training. The attention of all regi-
mental and separate unit commanders
has been directed in orders issued by
brigade headquarters last week to the
necessity Of early study and preparation
of Summer training programs. covering
the several Summer encampments.
Training programs are required from
the organization commanders not later
than the following dates, 1t was an
nounced: l2lst Engineers, which will
90 TO Camp Albert Q. Ritchie, Cascade,