Evening star., 1937-01-10
MILITIA IS HURT
|. BY PARADE ORDER
Naval Reserve Also Feels
Slight in Bar From
Procession.

Both members Of the National
Guard Of the District OF Columbia
and the United States Naval Reserve
Battalion received a severe jolt to their
morale and prestige here last week
when they were informed that they
would not be permitted to participate
in the parade incidental to the in
auguration Of President Roosevelt for
his second term. The excuse given,
Of course, was that the parade was to
be kept to a certain limit of time for
passing a given point, and TO open it
to one group would require that it be
opened to all.
Both the guardsmen and the naval
reservists have been working for
weeks in preparation for this event.
The naval reservists have been pre-
pairing their marching formations and
a contest has been held to determine
which OF the three divisions Of the
battalion will be permitted to carry
the colors in the parade. The guard
commander recently issued pre-
paredneSs order to all units to make
preparations for participation in the
event And both filed formal applica-
tions with the Inaugural Committee
for places in the procession.
In q general way, it was said, that
it had been determined to limit the
procession to the regular forces, the
only exceptions TO be made being in
the cases of the c. c. c. and the
Youth Administration, both at the
personal request OF the President.
However, it was argued that the
local troops and Naval Reserve are
Federal forces, and to this extent are
unlike those in the States. The Pres
ident of the United States is COM
mander in chief of the local guard,
the same as he is OF the Regular Army
and Navy. The Naval Reserve is in
no way a State militia unit. 1t is
governed absolutely by the naval
authorities, and can be ordered into
service in case of emergency without
its members taking any new oath.
They would be required TO obey these
orders in the same manner as the Of
ficers and men in the regular estab-
lishment.
Officers indicated that they were
not satisfied with the decision Of the
Inaugural Committee, and it is known
that officers in some of the organiza-
tions have appealed for congressional
help, pointing out that the decision
Of the Inaugural Committee had given
body blow to the morale and future
attendance Of both organizations. 1t
was pointed out that in the case OF
the guard and reservists that both,
in the opinion Of local officers, could
be allocated a place in the procession
without offending other State organ
izations. because Of their status as
Federal organizations.
While the time intervening before
the inaugural date is short, it was
indicated that the troops will continue
their training to put on their finest
showing, in the hope that the decision
/ will be made. 1t was added that these
/ are the troops and sailors Of the Ma
| tional Capital they are at their home
! stations, which does not involve any
expense in transportation here for
| the procession. and they should be
permitted to honor not only their
neighbor but their commander in
/ chief. In the case of the States, it
was pointed out that the Governors
of the respective States are COM
manders in chief Of the guard.
| In times past, when parades were a
feature Of the inaugurals, the local
troops have always been assigned a
| place in the parade, as has the Naval
Militia, which was at that time a local
unit But the laws now have made it
Navy Department organization.