Evening star., 1934-09-16

SrHE urgent need of new armory
here for the National Guard
Of the District of Columbia
was impressed on those
charged with the protection of
Federal Government property the lat
ter part of the week when there was
such a heavy rainfall. Officers and
employees of the armory were requiI ed
tci make hurried survey of the build
Ing and on the top floors, where much
Of the valuable Federal equipment is
stored, they found water pouring into
many of the storerooms. Tarpaulins
wtre hauled out and thrown over
much of the equipment. but it is a
difficult task to provide the protection
Wlch the property should have.
The various units quartered in this
building now are engaged In checking
over the property as a routine follow
Ing the encampment with a view to
having 1t replaced by the middle of
November. However, even If new
equipment is provided in replacement
Of this, the conditions for storage are
30 unsatisfactory that il may have
to be renewed again.
by every commanding general Of the
local militia for more than a quarter
Of century to have Congress provide
facilities here not Only for the pro-
lection of Federal Government prop
erty, but for the proper and efficient
training of the troops during the
armory drill season, between the an
nual encampments However, up to
now they have been unsuccessful, al
though the inspecting officers of the
Regular Army SEM here every year by
TIE War Department have repeatedly
called attention to the lack of fa-
eilities.
The War Department requires CT
the States as condition for the loan
Of thousands of dollars Of equipment
fer use in training purposes that they
provide adequate storage facilities
which will protect the property. The
SEC tes, for the most part, have spent
millions of dollars in providing ar
mories for this purpose and for the
proper training of personnel. How
ever, the local militia has been un-
able to provide such facilities. The
District Guard Is a Federal agency
and it has been repeatedly pointed
out that the Government has de-
manded of the States what 1t will not
Itself do. 1t also has been pointed out
by the War Department officers that
the United States should at least set
an example for the States by pro-
vioing model facilities here.
Congress has refused to provlde
money for an armory, and the local
militia officers, for many months,
have been trying to get funds from
the Public Works Administration with
which to begin the construction OF
suitable building here, but so far with
out success. However, it was pointed
out that while the project has not
definitely been turned down, no action
has been taken which would lead the
militia officials to believe that they
might look forward to the provision
OF q building out of these funds.
The local Commissioners have been
favorable to the project, but that has
not served to start the funds In the
direction of building. The local
troops now are quartered in several
buildings throughout the city, and 1t
IL the hope that when building Is
provided that it will be possible to
have them all under one roof.
The local Guard did get some ad-
citional storage facilities under the
Public Works, but it was for the con-
struction Of warehouses on the rifle
range at Camp Simms, Congress
Heights, D. c., but this is some dis
tance away from the armories, where
the troops are required to perform
their weekly drills.
Officers of the local Guard now are
expressing interest as to whether a
new commanding general will be ap-
oointed to head the local militia to
succeed the late Maj. Gen. Anton
stephan. The vacancy which his
eeath created in the major general
ship, as commander of the 29th Ma
- tional Guard Division, was filled very
soon after his demise by the promotion
of Mai. Gen. Milton A. Reckord OF
the Maryland National Guard. How
ever, the vacancy as commanding gen.
tral of the local Guard has been hang
ing fire every since, although reports
have emanated from the War Depart
rnent that a recommendation had
been made.
The local militia always had a
trigadier general as head OF the local
troops. While there is not brigade
uf troops here, it has been considered
that the local units are provisional
brigade. The organic act of the local
militia calls for a brigadier general to
command.
Under the plan which has been in
vogue since Gen. Stephan's death, the
commanding officer of the largest unit
cf the local Guard, the 12lst Regiment
Of Engineers, has been placed in COM
rland by virtue Of his seniority. How
ever, he still is required to handle the
affairs of his own regiment, as well as
the affairs of the other units, and in
addition is the engineer oficer of the
2eth Division, which comprises the
troops of this city, the States of Mary
Ian and Virginia and portion of
Pennsylvania. There are several candl-
dates whose names have been sug-
gested by the War Department, but so
l'sr that department has not taken
any action. They are Col. John W.
oehmann, acting commander of the
local militia; Col. Leroy w. Heron,
commander of Reserve regiment, and
Mai. Walter w. Burns, commander of
lie 260th Battalion of Coast Artillery
p9 the local militia.
L5cal 29th Division officers return
ed to Washington last Sunday from
their tour of duty at Camp Dix in
connection with the United States
Army war games. The local division
was assigned a section of territory in
Delaware.
The District of Columbia units of
the 29th Division Special Troops, ac-
Ccrding to Maj. William T. Roy, are
settling down to the work of putting
treir quarters in first-class condition.
r.'lley are painting and wall papering
tie quarters, and doing other odd jobs
to put them in the best of condition.
Maj. Roy last week presented the
following members of the Headquar-
ters Detachment with 3-year serv-
ice medals: