Evening star., 1937-03-14

as one Oh Ulle NOIlu SIchU IIluSlCdl
organizations. The band plays at a
great majority of historical functions
and is a feature of every parade and
military display. 1t has toured the
United States and played In Europe
The Army Music School also is at
Humphreys.
The Signal Corps Photographic
laboratory at Humphreys has an in
valuable collection of historical films
including complete motion picture
record of the World War 1t produced
the photographs which accompany
this article and it turns out thousands
of similar photographs for newspapers
and magazines in all parts of the
country.
What now is Fort Humphreys was
established as a fort in 1897 and dur
ing the War of 1912 provided storage
for gunpowder. 1t was destroyed by
the British, but rebuilt by Col. Bowfort
IN 1915, being officially designated as
an arsenal a year later. In 1926 it
became penitentiary and during the
Civil War served as depot of supplies
for the Army of the Potomac. The
Lincoln conspirators were imprisoned
there while awaiting trial and execu-
ton.
The late Elihu Root, while Secretary
of War, was responsible for the estab-
Gshment of the Army War College in
1903.
The reproduction plant at Fort
Humphreys, largest military map-mak-
ing establishment in the world, pro-
duces all maps now used by the United
States Army
Fort Washington, Md, also is of his
torical Importance. Founded during
the Revolutionary War, it was a Coast
Artillery post almost continuously un-
til 1921, when its guns were dis
mounted and it was turned over to the
Infantry. The old Notifications have
been excellently preserved, though the
barracks now are the only portion Of
the original works now in use.
The Sd Battalion, 18th Infantry,
which composed the Fort Washington
Infantry for all parades and cere-
monies in the National Capital. Wash
ington, on number of occasions, has
had the opportunity of witnessing the
long, involved silent" drills by COM
panies of the battalion, in which the
troops 90 through long program of
close order maneuvers without signal
or word Of command, with unfaltering
precision.
IT is, perhaps the Army officers on
War Department duty or miscel-
laneous jobs in Washington, who are
most closely identified with the life of
the city. They become, during the
period of their duty here, part of the
city's population. They play important
functions in its official life and are
prominent in its social affairs
In the War Department Offices there
are now 487 officers and 54 enlisted
men, according to the latest strength
reports. There are, however, 118 Of
f1cers and 236 enlisted men on other
more or less military jobs in the Gov
ernment.
They operate two Army educational
institutions, the Finance School and
the Army Industrial College. There
are Army officers in the Office of pub
lie buildings and public parks, the
Board Of Rivers and Harbors, the Office
OF the constructing quartermaster, the
District engineer Office, the finance
Office. the Interoceanic Canal Board.
the Soldiers Home, the War Depart
ment message center, the Inland
Waterways Corporation and the Battle
Monuments Commission
There is the District Engineer Com
missioner, who has assistants also
drawn from the Army. There are Army
officers on duty at Georgetown Uni
versity, George Washington University
st. Johns College and Howard Uni
versity, where there are Reserve Of
hcers Training Corps activities. The
Army provides an adjutant for the Dis
trict Of Columbia National Guard and
instructors for the National Guard and
Organized Reserve.
While these constitute the total OF
Army posts in the immediate vicinity
Of Washington, there are other i'm
portant posts within days easy au-
tomobile ride from the Capital, among
them the great Infantry base, with
tank battalion, at Fort Meade
about 20 miles away, near Laurel
Md; Aberdeen Proving Ground which
includes Phillips Field, an Army air.
drome, in Maryland also; headquar-
ters Of the Sd Corps Area, in Balti-
more, where is stationed the command
ing general of all the Army troops in
this region; Edgewood Arsenal, Md
the home of the Chemical Warfare
School and the scene of many pic.
turesque and important experiments
involving the laying of chemicals and
smoke from the air; Army Quarter
master depot at Front Royal, Va, from
which come many Of the fine Cavalry
s%A>~ L. fo~ %ka r.s&.