Evening star., 1938-02-06
GUARD IS SHOCKED
BY ARM0RY ACTION
Officials Unprepared to Saw
What Further Steps
to Be Taken.

oHNAeo ~ Sne report OF the House
Appropriations Committee on the Dis
| trict bill which not only failed to
| contain a recommendation for funds
| for the purchase Of site for an arm
ory, but gave indications that its
present armory was in danger OF dis
appearing. District militia officials
have not sufficiently recovered TO
formulate, any plans for renewing
their efforts. The officials believed
they would get the money for the
acquisition Of a site, even though the
one selected by the Park and Planning
| Commission had now become too
costly because private buildings are
being constructed on it.
The bill contained provision for Q
new central public library, and the
site selected is the square bounded by
John Marshall place, Pennsylvania
avenue, Sixth and C streets NV, the
area on which is located the old
National Hotel building which has
served for several years as the home
of the greater number of the District
| troops.
Because the recommendation OF
$4,000 for the purchase of the site
had the approval of the President of
the United States, the Budget Bureau
! and the District of Columbia Com
| missioners, the Guard officials be-
lieved it would get the approval OF
Congress. The recommendation was,
Of course, predicated on the acquisi-
tion of the site which had been Sc
lected for the Guard by the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion.
have been allowed for the purchase Of
any other site which the Park and
Planning Commission might select 3
appropriate for the armory II Con-
gress insists the Planning Commission
first select a definite site before pro-
yiding the purchase funds, Guard Of
| flcials point out, it will result in long
delay. during which it is possible a
new site might be used for other
purposes before the governmental ma
! chinery functions into definite re-
suit It was asserted funds could be
| provided and made continuously avail
| able until the commission acts. and
| then immediate steps could be taken TO
| acquire the ground selected. This is
! important at this time, it was said, I
| because available large areas. which
| would be suitable for armory with
adjacent parade ground are rapidly
being used up for private buildings.
| OF vastly more concern to the
Guard at this time is that they may
not have any building at all in which
to train the troops. II Congress finally
approves the provision for the con-
struction of a new public library
building. they fear that immediate
steps will be taken to raze the build
ings in the square in which it is to
be located and. as pointed out, this
includes the building now used as an
armory.
With the New Deal agencies hav-
ing used up about every large build
ing in the city to find places for their
employees, Guard officials point out, it
would probably be impossible to md
building large enough not only to
house the Federal equipment they
have for training purposes, but to also
find space for the quarters Of the
numerous units. 1t was added thae
if the situation came to this, it might
be necessary for the Guard to move
all OF its training equipment to the
storehouses at the rifle range at Camp
Simms, Congress Heights. D. c.. and
Immediately cease training activities.
|
| quarters for the units or even for drill
| purposes.
In such situa ton, it was said, the
War Department may step in and
force some action. because with M
| training facilities there would be no
use for the equipment and the troops
| could not maintain their efficiency
for service in the field.
There is the chance, it was pointed
out. that the Senate may be prevailed
upon to restore the appropriation to
the bill when it is considered there,
but it would still have to 60 back to
| the House for conference.
Argument for the site was presented
directly to the White House last yearA
by a committee of officers from the
National Guard Officers Association
| and headed by Maj Gen. Milton A.
Reckord, commander of the National
Guard Of Maryland and Of the 29th
| National Guard Division. of which
the local militia is part. The presi-
dent, at that time. and when the site
was still clear and available, sent a
request to Congress for An emergency
appropriation, but it was turned down.
| Col. John w. Oehmann, command
/ ing the local militia. said the matter
OF the site appropriation and the
armory question in general was dis
cussed here last week with Gen.
Reckord, but nothing definite was
decided.
Col. Oehmann announced last week
| that plans and estimates for the field
training OF the 29th Division Special
| Troops have been submitted for their
training in conjunction with the 79th
! Division staff.
Units to participate. in addition to
the 29th Division Special Troops,
| composed of the Headquarters De-
tachment. 29th Division; Head
quarters Company. 29th Division; 29th
Division Military Police Company and
Medical Department Detachmen.,
Special Troops. will include part Of
the Headquarters of the 104th Quar-
termaster Regiment, the Division
Quartermaster Platoon, and Company
A, 104th Quartermaster Regiment.
| The exact location for the camp Of
this unit has not been determined by
the commanding general OF tho 29th
Division. 1t was said. but 1t Is antici-
pated it will include maneuvers in
the Valley of Virginia.
The local Guard estimates for tns
camp are $ll ,4l6, with $342.30 Of this
amount being devoted to pay Of per.
sonnel, which is not paid until their
return to their home station tn WASH
ingtOn. This means, it was rointsd