Evening star., 1936-01-12

itary and civic officials was focused
with greater interest on the need for
prompt appointment Of general Of
ficer to head the Guard here. The
problems of the local militia, it was
asserted, are increasing with such
.apidity that in order to properly func-
ton as a military unit it needs di-
recting head whose duties and time
would not be divided by the necessity
of also directing the training OF an
active regiment.
Under the system which has been
allowed to go since the death Of Maj.
Gen. Anton Stephan, the active head
of the l21st Regiment OF Engineers
also has had shunted into his al
ready multitudinous duties, the prob
lem of handing all of the affairs Of
the local militia, including the prepa-
ration of estimates for the operation
of the Guard during the next fiscal
year, the handling Of works progress
estimates for the repair Of armories,
participation of the local units with
the 29th Division in the next encamp-
ment, discussion Of plans for the artil-
lery encampment, to say nothing OF
the routine paper work of his own
regiment and for the militia as whole
here.
1t was pointed out by those familiar
with military operations that 1t is
bne big job to direct the training and
routine affairs of a regiment, and an
other big job to handle the general
militia problems, particularly includ-
ing the matter Of housing, which is
likely to be one of the chief projects
to be pushed on behalf Of the local
citizen soldiers at the current Congress.
While the local Guard headquarters
has not been officially informed by The
War Department that the ALLEGATION
of additional troops here will be
assigned to the Artillery regiment, tie
matter of getting sufficient men to
form a complete regiment is freely
discussed in the Guard. AS a matter
of fact, tentative steps have been take1
to handle the additional personnel,
and a regimental headquarters COM
pany has been formed for the Artillery
unit. The present commander mas
been promoted to lieutenant colonel
and assigned to the headquarters,
step and expense which would not be
necessary if it were not the intention
to form the regiment.
When this new regiment is brought
into being about the first of next April
there will be two full regiments of
troops here, one the Engineer regiment.
a component part of the 29th National
Guard Division which comprises most
of the militia units of this city, :hc
States of Maryland and Virginia and
a portion of Pennsylvania. The other
will be the Coast Artillery regiment
which is not a part of the divisional
organization.
If the present order of affairs is
allowed to continue, it was pointed out,
it will leave the senior colonel not
only commanding his own regiment
but head of the Artillery as well, ny
virtue of the fact that he is the senior
officer here In the militia.
While the President of the United
States is required by law to name a
commanding general for the militia
of the District Of Columbia, 1t is be-
leved that the Chief Executive is
awaiting a recommendation from the
War Department.
No officer or candidate interested In
obtaining the appointment is likely
to step forward and push the matter
of appointment. However. it was
pointed out by those familiar with the
routine in such matters, it would
be entirely within the prerogative Of
local civic bodies to call the matter
to the attention of the President and
request that he name some one to fill
the post which has been vacant for a
period of nearly two years.
The law provides for the appoint
ment of an officer here Of the rank Of
brigadier general. While the late Gen.
Stephan held the rank of major gen.
eral, he also had the dual command.
He was originally appointed to COM
mand the Guard, with the rank of
brigadier general. When the 29th
National Guard Division was formed,
he was given the command with the
rank Of major general in the National
Army. While commander of the di-
vision, he also was active head of the
Guard here, and devoted considerable
time to building it up to its present.
day efficiency, despite the handicaps
Of lack of armory facilities and short
age of funds.
Since the death Of Gen. Stephan
the division command. by rotation, has
gone to the commander of the Mary
land National Guard, Maj. Gen. Mil
ton A. Reckord. While the War De-
partment at the time of Gen. Stephan'S
death recognized the importance OF
promptly naming a commander for
the division, thus not leaving its COM
mand to the senior brigadier general
in the divisional area, 1t nevertheless
has for more than two years left the
local Guard without a general officer
to direct its affairs.
As far as it can be ascertained. 1t Is
understood from those in close touch
with affairs at the department that
the latter is not averse to carrying out
the law and naming commanding
general here, but appears to be unwill-
ing at this time to make a decision
between the available candidates. Not
only, it was pointed opt, is it the desire
to appoint to the command an officer
trained for the field rank of brigadier
general, but an officer who has high
civic standing in the community who
can command prestige when he pre-
sents matters affecting the Guard to
Congress and to the public.
In the meantime the rank and file
of the militia are wondering at the
delay in naming them new COM
manding general, and they would like
to see an outstanding man appointed
to guide their affairs, the most i'm
portant of which at this time Is to
gain for them an armory IN which
they could get adequate training dur
ing the armory training period which
occupies all but two weeks OF each