Evening star., 1936-03-29

q 4OiAidl AlSpCSllOi1 Va I4iC boICoAAOAI
a short time ago.
In a: letter to Lieut.. James E. Sui
livan, commander of the local bat
talon, he said that it was not only a
pleasure but an inspiration to inspect
the local Naval Reserve outfit.
Il congratulate you and the officers
upon the very fine showing made by
your organization" wrote Col. Mas
The appearance and bearing of the
men was splendid and the training OF
the officers evidently of the highest.
''As an individual member of Con-
gress, I wish to express my personal
qualification for the splendid patriotic
work you and your organization are
doing"
When the letter was read to the
battalion the officers and men ex-
pressed themselves as highly pleased
with it.
Officers of the battalion saw in two
movements in Congress this week a
ray of hope for an armcry to replace
the ramshackle building which they
are forced to occupy because no other
quarters are available. Col. Mas
offered an amendment to a bill pend
ing in the House providing for build
ing construction in various Navy yards
which would authorize an appro-
priation of Sl,20O,000 for the con-
struction here Of an armory to house
both the Naval Reserve and the Ma
rine Corps Reserve.
A bill also was introduced by Rep
resentative Young of Ohio authorizing
a similar appropriation for the same
purpose.
While the local battalion officers
do not know just how far the bill will
reach at the current session, they feel
that the matter has been brought
directly to the attention of Congress
and are hopeful that something def
mite will be done COL Mas is fully
cognizant of the conditions prevailing
at the local armory and has observed
the difficulties under which the Naval
Reservists must obtain their training
during the armory drill period. The
funds authorized in the measures are
to be used entirely for construction,
the site now being available in the
Washington Navy Yard just east of
the Anacostia Bridge.
Rear Admiral Joseph r. Defrees
commandant of the Washington Navy
Yard and director of Naval Reserve
activities here. will formally inspect
the local battalion Tuesday night. The
inspection is scheduled to begin at
o'clock He will be accompanied by his
aide, Lieut.. Comdr. Lyman Perry, the
commanding officer Of the local Receiv-
ing Station; Lieut.. Comdr. r. D. Sulli-
van, Lieut.. Comdr. Mark Crouter, off,
Ger in charge of Reserve training here.
and instructor inspector of the. local
battalion, and Lieut.. j. P. B. Barrett.
Battalion officers held a pre-inspec-
ton conference in the armory last
Tuesday night. following the regular
drill. A number of problems facing
the three feet divisions in the annual
inspection were reviewed In connec-
ton with the preparations for the in
spection great deal of additional duty
is being carried out by the personnel OF
the battalion. A number OF platoon
officers have been holding additional
drills for manual of arms and Infantry
while division officers have had clean
ing parties working on cleaning and
furnishing the armory.
Naval communication reServiStS were
out in large numbers in the flooded
areas, aiding in keeping communica-
ton open between isolated areas and
the outside. While the officers and
men of the District Communications
Reserve division did not have to go on
duty several did stand watch at the
apparatus in the Reserve Armory in
the Washington Navy Yard. Speaking
Of the preparations, Lieut.. j. H. Mich
olson, commander of the division, said
From every emergency, it seems as
though there is lesson to learn. This
one was no exception. The experience
gained at this time pertains to the need
for a transmitter flexible enough to be
tuned to any amateur band and to any
frequency band. Much valuable. time
was lost trying to make contact with
stations in and around the flooded
areas for the reason that with the
amateur bands so crowded, 1t was prac-
tically necessary to shift frequency to
make special contacts and to avoid in
reference.
"Transmitters capable of shifting
with a minimum of time would have
assisted greatly in facilitating the re-
lief problems. The use of phone dur
ing this emergency was of inestimable
value in speeding up communications
and is highly desirable for occasions
of this kind However, the handling
Of message traffic by phone is not as
accurate or as speedy as code"
The Secretary of the Navy last week
received a dispatch from Gov. George
H. Earle of Pennsylvania, which said:
Pennsylvania appreciates splendid
and complete cooperation of United
States Navy forces with authorities of
this State in relieving suffering of
flood victims"
A statement issued in connection
with the dispatch said that the United
States Naval Communication Reserve
was modified 1000 strong in the
Eastern and North Central Naval
Districts during the emergency. Com
munications out Of Pittsburgh, Johns
town, Wheeling and number of other
places continue to be handled to a
great degree by these naval reservists,
operating from naval reserve and
privately owned amateur radio sta
tions. The Navy Department es-
Inmates at least 1000 reserve officers
and expert radio men of the Naval
Communication Reserve have been en-
gagged in handling emergency radio
communication in the flood areas in
the Northeastern States and all along
the Eastern seaboard, and as far as
Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. All of
this communication has been con-