Evening star., 1932-02-28

Judiciary Square, retained as a memo
rial to the veterans Of all wars has
been received by Maj. Gen. Anton Ste
phan, commander Of the militia brigade
of this city and the 29th National
Guard Division, which comprises the
citizen troops of this city and the States
of Maryland and Virginia.
1t is also part of Gen. Stephan's
proposal that, if the building is retained
as a memorial; it be- used to house
the various local and national military
and veterans organizations.
National Comdr. Henry L. Stevens,
jr., of the American Legion has written
Gen. Stephan letter in support OF the
plan
The building now is occupied by the
General Accounting Office, provision for
which Is to be made In one Of the new
buildings planned for the Government
area in the Pennsylvania avenue tri-
angle. The structure has been sought
bv the local National Guard officials
for some time for use as an armory for
the training Of the local citizen soldiers.
The local militia organizations for some
years have been shifted from one build
ing to another, and each time the con-
ditions have been improved but very
little, if at all.
The main body of local troops now Is
ing at Sixth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, where some remodeling OF the
rooms was done to provide for the vari-
GUS organizations. However, there is no
room in the structure large enough for
a drill hall This makes it necessary
for the units to take their company and
battalion drills in a nearby park. rms
can only be done in fair weather
When the weather is bad 1t is necessary
to confine the instruction almost en-
tirely to classroom work.
During practically every annual in
spection the Regular Army inspection
officers in their reports to the Militia
bureau have commented on the un-
favorable armory conditions here, and
have urged that steps be taken to cor
rect the deficiencies. The matter has
repeatedly been called to the attention
of Congress, but that body has done
nothing so far.
The quarters now occupied by the
main body of troops were acquired as
part of the site for the proposed Munich
pal Center development, and wnen the
time arrives to raze the building Tor
this work, then the Guard will have to
fird another place for its training.
Mai Walter w. Burns, commanding
the 26Oth Coast Artillery, has Just re-
ceived an autographed photograph from
former President Calvin Coolidge as a
memento of his presentation OF tne
colors of the 260th unit on the WnlUe
Eol1se lawn on January 18, 1929.
The photograph is inscribed: TO the
260th Coast Artillery. With best wishes,
Calvin Coolidge"
Can't. John H. Church, U. s. Army
instructor, on duty with the Maryland
National Guard at Frederick, has been
ordered to this city for temporary duty
in connection with the annual mspec,
ton of Infantry units OF the local
militia brigade.
the dates follow: March s, Headquar-
ters. 29th Division; Headquarters De-
tachment, 29th Division; State STAN and
Detachment: March 9, Headquarters,
SneciaI Troope, 29th Division; Heaoquar-
fers Detachment, Special Troops, 29th
Division: March 10, 29th Division Mill
tarv Police Company; March IA, Com
pany A and Medical Dept. Detachment
372d Infantry.
An increase IN the number Of units
of the local Guard which mustered SUI.
ficient personnel at drill to be placed
in the classification of superior In at-
tendance last week Is shown by Lne
report issued by brigade headquarters.
Six units were in this group. WIN
their percentages, they follow; ,o.
Battery B, 260th Coast ArtlHery, 1OO;
29th Division Military Police company
e6. 80; Headquarters and Service COIL
oany I21st Engineers, 90. SO; Battery b,
2eOth Coast Artillery 91.66; Headquar-
ters Detachment 29th Division, 9O.1O;
Medical Department Detachment, 2oUtn
Coast Artillery, go.
The other organizations, in their re-
spective classihcations, follow, with their
percentages:
1928; Company D, l2lst EnglneeroS' oe ao.
1884; Company A, 372d Infantry, Sz;Oo'
state Detachment, 81.81; Medical De-
partment Detachment, 12lst Engl-
neers, 30. ,,,..
Very satisfactory: Company A, 12lst
Engineers 1888; Company F, 12lst En-
gineers. 1912; Company E, l2lst Engl-
neers. 7777; Headquarters Detachment
and Combat Train, 260th Coast Artn-
lery, IS; Company B, 12lst engineers
7258; Battery A, 260th Coast AruieIy'
7l42; Battery G, 26Oth Coast Ar'iileiS'
7142 ,o,-.
eineers sc 66: Headquarters Detach-
ment, Special Troops, 29th DIVISION,
$3.50. !
The Militia Bureau Of the War De,
partment. in a circular letter received
by the local National Guard headquaI
ters. says that from STUDY OF tne nelu ~
insnection reports for the year 1881, IL
Xoe noted that there was an aggregate
of 2O.82O enlisted men Of the Natlonal
Guard with less than two months serV-
ice present in camps. This figure, II was
stated. represents 1888 per cent OF tne
total attendance of 164,059. The above
percentaqe of attendance Is declared 10
be a considerable improvement over tne
percentage Of 1880, which was 1898
per cent. The total attendance tnen
was 160,257.
The 1881 percentage OF recruits. tne
bureau says, is considered 100 nlgn ior
effective training. 1t called attention
to the fact that the local militia hao
percentage Of 1897.
THE statement further said that the
Militia Bureau is of the opinion tne
ideal recruiting plan is one In Whlcn
recruits are obtained over perlod OF
nine months, with no men being as
charged or enlisted for the perloo Two
months previous to field training aIio
during that period. The bureau points
out field training is the elimination OF
the years instruction Armory train
ing has been preparatory thereto, and
when an organization goes to camp
with a considerable number of men who
have not had preliminary instruction,
the training of the entire organization
Is retarded and hindered. The bureau
expresses the belief that by careful
planning on the part of the National
Guard the number Of recruits with less
than the amount OF instruction men
toned, brought to the camps, can be
reduced to 10 per cent or less OF the
total 1t was added this was accom-
plished by several States In 1881, and
among those was New York, with the
greatest number of men in the National
Guard. The active cooperation OF the
hdjutant general Of the States and the
District Of Columbia commanding gen.
kral Is requested.