Evening star., 1938-03-13
Restoration of Armory Fund
To District Bill Pleases Guard
City and Federal Officials Make Stron o
Plea to Senate Committee in
Behalf of Militia.

checked up on the matter Of improve
ments in the two squares involved,
and it had been found that there
were no building permits pending and
no permits have been given on this
ground since last August. As to the
otner objection. under the new plan, it
is proposed to put che armory on
ground unoccupied by houses, except
for one small corner in the northwest
section Of the site. This new plan,
he further said, has been carefully
studied by the Park and Planning
Commission and fits in with the grand
plan OF the East Capitol street de-
velopment, including the armory, skat-
ing rink, auditorium, stadium and
sport center. He said those who had
been studying the project now felt
that all objections to the armory site
have been met and that the appropria-
tfon should go through. He charac-
terized the present armory as a dis
grace" He said If there is to be
National Guard the troops ought
to have an armory, and it was
added that the matter is becoming
pressing because the building now
occupied by the Guard Is on a site
which has been tentatively selected
for that Of a new public library.
The question was raised as to how
much a structure on, the site would
cost, but the committee was told that
there were no definite plans as yet, but
1t presumably would cost in the neigh
borhood of 100000. However, it was
explained that this fund would only
be required over a period of years.
Units Of the 260th Coast Artillery
are seeking permission to use a sec
tion Of East Potomac Park near Hains
Point to carry out certain exercises
in connection with their training. They
ask that section Of the park be as
signed them on alternate Sundays
during April, May and June 1t was
explained the nature of the training,
setting up instruments for laying out
base line" would not result in any
damage to the parks.
Plans are being formulated by head
quarters for sending various units out
to the rife range at Camp Simms,
Congress Heights, D. c., for their an
nual target practice. As the number
Of units here is growing, complete
schedules have to be worked out so
there will not be conflict in the use
of the facilities. most OF the work hav-
ing to be done on Saturday afternoons
and Sundays.
The Engineer Regiment already has
asked for assignments on consecutive
Sundays from May l to July Is; the
104th Quartermaster Regiment wants
six targets each Sunday from April
Is to June Is, and the Special Troops,
29th Division. want five pistol and five
rifle targets made available to them
on Sundays in May and June and IS
pistol targets additional in June. The
260th Coast Artillery has simplified
the matter of the Ordnance Depart
ment arranging the use OF the range
by asking that it be permitted to take
its shooting training in September and
October. During this period practi-
cally all Of the other units will have
completed their record firing. Com
pany A, 372d Infantry, has requested |
the use of eight targets on four days
during May.
An anti-arcraft artillery exercise is
being planned on the rife range on
May and 8. Capt. William F. Bulls,
commanding Battery E. has asked
headquarters for permission to use the
range for a weekend exercise. It is
proposed to have the organization
camp on the hill at the entrance to
the camp. and carry on its exercises
from there.
First 1t. Thaddeus A. Riley, inactive
list, Corps Of Engineers, has resigned
his commission in the Guard.
1t. Col. Reinold Melberg, U. S. Army
Coast Artillery, now stationed at
Attention, Pa, has been ordered here
to conduct the annual armory inspec-
tions Of the 260th Coast Artillery.