Evening star., 1937-08-22
FUND FOR ARM0RY
UP TO D. c. HEADS
Officials Follow Congress
Tip and Put in Annual
Estimates.

After trying many methods in at
tempting to get their armory needs
before Congress In a definite way
over a period of nearly 80 years, Of
ficials of the District National Guard
will try a new tack this year. The
amount needed for the construction
Of new armories to house the local
militia will be included in the esti-
mates which will be sent to the Dis
trict Commissioners for inclusion in
their budget for the fiscal year 1898
After repeatedly appearing before
congressional committees for hearings
in Justification of various separate
measures for an armory. when they
would be asked by committeeman why
they did not put their armory project
in the regular estimates, the militia
officials have decided to take the tip
and try it that way Whether It
will get the approval of the Com
missioners remains to be seen. Even
if it successfully passes the gantlet
of the Commissioners and the Bureau
of the Budget. and gets in the ap-
preparation bill, there is the question
Of whether it Will go out on point
of order, because there is no au-
thorizing legislation.
Militia officials will present figures
rs ;nl,
clude a request for So 100000 for the
construction and equipment Of two
armories. There also will be a request
for $4,000 for the preparation OF
plans and specifications and 100000
for sites 1t will be pointed out, in
Justification of the request for money
for the site, that those suitable and
available now for Sucn construction
will soon disappear There are only
few available now which meet with
the approval of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
the Commission on Fine Arts. The
money for sites was placed on the
estimates before it was known that
the President was going to ask for a
special appropriation
OF the fund to be sought for armory
construction, S2500.000 is requested
for the construction of one main
armory to house the white troops.
while 100000 is for an armory for the
colored units.
The armory situation here is likely
i,,
future, it was explained. because of
the fact that it is proposed to raze
the water front building now used as
an armory for housing a portion of
the 260th Regiment of Coast Artil-
lery. This structure was originally
erected as an armory for the Naval
Militia, when that unit. prior to the
World War. was a part of the Ma
tional Guard Although used by the
Coast Artillery for the last several
years, that unit. which now has eX-
panded to regimental status. has out
grown 1t, and portion of the troops
have to be housed in the Pennsylvania
avenue armory. 1t results in divided
activities of the command, which is
an anti-aircraft unit.
The militia officials are hoping their
estimate will be approved at least by
the Commissioners, in view of the
fact that special committee in the
District Government has been study
ing the armory situation here, under
special instructions from President
Roosevelt: This. action was taken by
the President following a special re-
quest OF committee appointed by the
AdJutant Generals Association, and
which was headed by Maj Gen. Mil
ton A. Record, commanding the 10Th
National Guard Division, of which the
District troops are a part. and also
commander Of the National Guard of
Maryland. However. this committee
has not yet made public a report OF
the results of its study, but it will
make its report direct to the Presi-
dent. Militia officials have been dis
cussing the matter with the commit
tee and have given them vast
amount of information to indicate the
very sad state in which the Guard
finds itself because OF the lack of
adequate armory training facilities.