Evening star., 1935-03-24


Summer may upset the plans
on which. the local militia has been
working to have a mobilization of the
29th National Guard Division of which
it is a component part assembled in the
vicinity of Indiantown Gap, Pa. If
the Armys plan materializeS, OF course
the plans of Maj Gen. Milton A.
Reckord, commanding the 29th Dl-
vision, which comprises the National
Guard units of this city, all in the
States of Maryland and Virginia and
a portion of Pennsylvania, will have to
be stopped, it is believed.
Elaborate plans are in process for
the movement of the 29th Divisional
units from their home stations to the
1ndiantown Gap camp site, but 1t is
expected that these will have to be
scrapped for the major operation pro-
posed by the Army. A recommendation
already is before the commanding gen.
eral of the Sd Corps Area for the 29th
Divisional camp. 1t has been there for
some time, and no approval has yet
been officially received. It is believed
that it has been held in allegiance be-
cause of the Army's mobilization,
which is declared to be the largest
peace-time concentration Of troops,
The proposed divisional mobilization
would have been the first since the
29th Division was organized subsequent
to the World War.
The proposed mobilization will give
the local troops field training which
Of
in. OF course. some of the members
of the local militia are veterans of the
World War, but the organizations, for
the most part. are made up OF young
men who have had their first taste
of military training since the World
War. Practically all of the training
which the District militiamen have
had has been in training camps, where
their work consisted of drills in the
camp and short periods of maneuver-
ing in the nearby territory.
However, the proposed Army moblll-
zation is to be on much larger scale,
and it is probable that the troops will
be kept moving all the time in real
war style, camping at night in shelter
or pup tents, instead of living in the
&c
centration camps.
The proposal to have the encamp-
ment in the vicinity of New York
will mean that the local troops will
require much more time than has
been allotted them under the plan
to have a divisional mobilization in
the Pennsylvania camp. Also the
question of transportation becomes
more important, and instead of NOV
ing by motor train they probably will
have to be moved by railroad. Under
the divisional mobilization plans,
which have been tentatively prepared,
the troops were to be moved by motor
truck, many of the vehicles being
of Pennsylvania. However. if that
outfit is moved at the same time
as the District troops, it is obvious
by both of them. The 29th Di-
vision does not have enough motor
vehicles for the movement, since
Congress passed law prohibiting the
expenditure of any funds for repair
and maintenance of any motor
equipment which was built prior to
1920 With a concentration ordered
which would require the movement of
all troops practically at the same time,
there could not be any pooling of
equipment as had been planned under
the divisional plans.
Capt. Morris J. Hole was elected
commander of the Military Service
Legion of the District of Columbia
at meeting here this week. At the
same time the organization passed
resolution stating That all eX-soi-
diers should at this time, and always,
set a patriotic example, exhibit con-
tinued interest in the military estab-
lishment of the country and empha-
size their allegiance to the colors,
and all that they stand for, is deemed
of great importance for the welfare
of our country"
Other officers elected were: Capt.
T. Bryon Huyck, vice commander:
Col. William S. Hodges second vice
commander; Capt. Clarence H. Green,
secretary treasurer; Rev. Arlington
A McCallum, chaplain, and the fol-
lowing board of governors: Col. j.
Miller Kenyon. chairman; Lieut.. Col.
w. Laurence Hazard, Maj. Walter D.
Davidge, Capt. w. H. Mellach and
Capt. Edward w. Zea.
The Military Service Legion of the
District of Columbia is composed of
honorably discharged members of the
National Guard of the District of
Columbia, and members of the indie
pendent military commands which
formed the nucleus of the National
Guard, honorably discharged men,
bers of the United States Volunteer
Forces, United States Army, Navy and
Marine Corps. 1t was organized Feb
ruary 7, 1916, by the late Brig. Gen.
Richard Douglas Simms, one-time
commander of the local militia.
The objects of the association are
to unite in permanent organization
all men who have had military service
and who now are permanent residents
of the District of Columbia; to pre-
serve recollections of such service and
to renew and preserve old friendships;
to constitute an organization of rep
resentative citizens held together by
patriotic interest in the welfare of
the military establishment, in which
they have served in the past, an organ
ization capable of exercising helpful
influence for the promotion of the
growth and efficiency of our local
National Guard, by endeavoring to
create in the community more gen.
eral interest therein and better un-
derstanding of the earnest and eff
cient work which it performs and of
the valuable training obtained by men
serving in its ranks and of the i'm
portant part it forms of the national
military system.
Preparations are being made, un-
der the direction of Col John w. Och
mann, acting commander of the local
militia, for an oyster roast and enter
tainment, to be given as house.
warming feature of dedicating the
new buildings which were erected at
the rifle range at Camp Simms, Con-
gress Heights, D. c.. with public works