Evening star., 1937-12-19
GUARD MAY FACE
NEW SITE SEARCH
Area Selected Now Being
Covered With New
Buildings.

covered with New
Buildings.
With % four-family- fiat buildings on
the site which was selected by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission as the site for the proposed
armory to house the activities of the
District National Guard, Guard off,
cials are beginning to have some doubt
as to whether Congress will approve
funds with which to acquire this site.
The site was examined last week by
Representative Collins and the mat
ter probably will come up for discus
sion during the consideration by the
House Appropriations Committee of
the estimates for the support Of the
militia for next year.
Congress just before it adjourned
refused to act on the request of Presi-
dent Roosevelt for an emergency ap-
preparation of 100000 with which to
purchase this property which Is at the
eastern terminus of East Capitol street
This property was selected after long
consideration by the park and planning
body as the proper place for an armory
and it was satisfactory to the Guard
officials.
Not only the estimate for the site,
but another for the beginning Of con-
structidn on the building was included
in the Guard estimates to the District
Commissioners. but as to whether it
successfully passed the scrutiny Of the
District heads and the Federal Budget
Bureau will not be known until the
estimates are released by Congress at
the regular session in January. How
ever, the District Guard authority was
requested last week to send copies of
their reasons in support Of their esti-
mates to the District heads for trans
mission to the congressional commit
tees, and the justification for the ar
mory site and the armory was included
in the papers sent to the Commits
sioners.
Guard officials are awaiting word to
appear before the House Committee to
explain their estimates, and have data
available to support their need for an
armory. However, they undoubtedly
will be confronted with the fact that
the present site Is now covered with
new buildings.
1t is likely Guard officials will have
available when they appear before
the committee some suggestions for
other sites. Sites great enough for the
construction of building large enough
to house the growing Guard here are
becoming very scarce; that is there
are few in the general areas which
could be considered for location of an
armory. But it does not matter what
the Guard officials may think of the
desirability of site, the final decision
as to location must be made by the
Park and Planning Commission.
In the event Congress declines to
provide money with which to pur-
chase the selected site with the build
ings now on it and which will, it is
believed, continue to go up, the whole
matter again will have to be can
vassed by the park and planning body,
which, of course, will involve delays
necessary to study sites before a de-
termination Is made. However, guard
officials will feel that q definite step
has been made if Congress will ap-
propriate the necessary funds for a
site and leave the matter of selection
to the guard and the planning body
rather than waiting until a definite
site is found before the money is pro-
vided. Furthermore, it was added. If
the funds for beginning the construc-
ton of building is provided at the
same time. plans can be made as soon
as the site is selected and the work
can be pushed forward.
Guard officers have pointed to the
probability Of the land on Pennsyl-
vania avenue, between Fourth and
Sixth streets NV, as q possible site.
This land now is owned by the Dis
trict government and was purchased
as . site for the municipal center.
Since its purchase, however, there has
been some discussion of selling this
land again to private individuals, as
it is proposed to put the municipal
buildings further to the northwsrd in
the vicinity Of the present United
States Court for the District of Co.
lumbia.
The guard IS preparing o eurn over
to the post Office here ~. Of its trucks
for the purpose of distributing the
Christmas mailS Aere. While the To-
cal post office officials will furnish the
drivers, 1t was said, efforts are being
made to get positions for members of
the guard who are unemployed and
who are qualified to drive.
It was announced at brigade head
quarters the examining board has
completed the tests of enlisted men
who are seeking promotion to the
commissioned grades. The men who
successfully pass these tests will be
placed on IN eligible list for period
Of ysas, and selections win b made
6om time 70 time - vacancies occur