Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-07

old commercial building, which now
is dignified under the name Of an
armory, and under the shelter of
which the men must obtain their
naval training under the most I'M
satisfactory conditions.
Secretary Claude Swanson of the
Navy Department, mas approved the
proposal for an allotment of 100000
for the construction Of building on
the AnacoStia River water front to
particularly suit the needs of the
citizen sailors, and also the Marine
Corps Reserve organization which is
taking its training IN old buildings n
the Municipal Center area.
Every naval official who considered
the proposal, which originated with
Lieut.. Sullivan, commandment of the
local battalion, gave mis- stamp of ap-
prevail to the project, as all realized
the importance of the Capital Re
servists having an armory which
would serve as model for other
Reserve units throughout the country.
The site selected for the proposed
building is on the north bank of the
Anacostia River, within the Navy
Yard Reservation. 1t will be south of
the present Seaman Gunners' quarters
and Just to the west of the present
Eleventh street bridge over the river.
There will be ample facilities Tor
docking any vessel which might be
assigned to the unit foe training pur-
poses. and besides there would be
facilities for handling. docking and
hosting small boats which are used
by the Reservists from time TO time
for training purposes.
At certain intervals the department
sends a vessel from the regularly
commissioned feet here to lay over
for several months for drill purposes
for the Reserve. However, the armory
is located so far from the mooring
places assigned to such ships that the
Reservists lose much of their drill
tune between the armory and the
ship. They have only two hours of
drill one night week. The placing
of a new armory right on the water
front will save them much valuable
training time, it was pointed out by
the officers.
While the armory project has the
approval of Secretary Swanson 1t
still must be considered by the author
tiles having charge Of the discussing
of the work relief fund. However, the
officers of the local battalion are hope
full that ii will receive the approval OF
the dispensing authorities. The
hope was expressed in local Reserve
circles that the Naval Secretary Will
do everything possible to expedite the
progress CT this local naval building
program.
Only general design plans have been
drawn for the building, including the
front elevation and floor plans, spe-
cially designed to suit the demands OF
the Reservists for training facilities. 1t
was indicated that detailed plans and
specifications would soon be drawn
for the project, and that several local
architects were interested in submit
ting plans. 1t has not even been de-
termined what the exterior facing
would be, but it was said by some that
very likely it would be Of light brick to
conform to the exterior appearance OF
the Seaman GunnerS' quarters, which
are located nearby.
The present quarters occupied by the
Reserve Battalion are quite crowded.
The drill hall is nothing more than
lean-to. built along two sides of the
brick structure. While this was small
in the beginning some of the space has
been taken up with the installation OF
heavy equipment including a fully
equipped machine shop, a large drill
gun, and a bridge and fire control
gear. which is used by the officers and
men in working out their battle prob
lens, one of the important training
features of the ReServistS. Only after
diligent work by the ReServists, a dark
and dingy cellar has been frightened
up, and turned into an engine and
fire room for the training of the Re-
servists, where each week they go
through the motions of lighting fires
in boilers and tending the various
parts Of marine machinery which
have been installed there for drill pur-
poses.
The local Reservists have been
without satisfactory armory since
they were moved out of the old Naval
Militia Armory at Water and o streets
southwest, to permit a unit of the
National Guard to have a building
This structure was built especially for
naval training purposes when the
naval unit was a part of the local
militia. But now it is United States
force, and when the District Militia
loaned to the Reservists. they moved
them out. This structure also had
nearby facilities for docking a large
ship and facilities on the dock for
the storage of small boats used for
training purposes. From there they
were moved to the Eleventh Street
Armory, which is in the Navy Yard
reservation and have been struggling
along under drill difficulties for a
number of years.
President Roosevelt is an ardent
supporter of the local ReserviSts.
When he was Assistant Secretary of
the Navy he made many visits on
drill nights to the local armory and
watched the men drilling. and gave
them material aid in getting equip
ment which he found they needed
on his various inspections.
When the Reservists went out on
their training launch yesterday for
week end of training and drills on
the lower Potomac River they were
furnished funds for their subsistence.
The money became available with
the beginning of the current fiscal
year While the trips they have made
heretofore we're at their own expense,
so far as food was concerned, Con-
gress provided funds in the current
appropriation measure for the pur-
chase of food for officers and men
who voluntarily make these week
end training cruises. They do not
receive any pay for this work.
It was said by the Reserve officers