Evening star., 1938-01-16
Cuardsnuen Must Plan O,vn
Fight to Get Arn,ory Funds
Request for Appropriation for Build.
ing Is Left Out of District Estimates.
Direct 4 ppeal to Congress IN Order.

S@AAAS oAooPPOAAlUCA LlAhJ Vic OlSLIlCC
estimates. when they reached Con-
gress, did not contain the recon-
mendAtion Of $2,500,000 for the con-
struction Of an armory here, officials
were nevertheless happy to see that
the recommendation for funds for the
purchase Of site had been left in.
Nevertheless they will marshal their
forces and try to get their recon-
mendation before Congress, 1t is un-
derstood, but just what method will
be used has not been disclosed, II
even planned. They have been wait
ing to see the fate of their recon-
mendation In the budget, but now are
free to develope plans for getting a
building direct from Congress
While the recommendation for the
purchase Of a site was allowed to
stand, both by the Commissioners and
the Bureau Of the Budget, it is be-
lieved this was because the President
already has approved 1t directly,
through the efforts last year of the
committee Of National Guard officers
from the Adjutant Generals Associa-
ton. and headed by Maj Gen. Milton
A. Reckord of Maryland. commander
OF the 29th National Guard Division,
of which the District troops are COM
ponent part.
Blocked at District Building.
However, 1t is understood the recon-
mendation for the funds with which
to construct a suitable building got
no further than the District Commits
sioners, where 1t was eliminated. The
Budget Bureau did not have an oppor-
tunity to pass on 1t. There are those
familiar with the efforts to obtain
money for an armory here who be-
lieve that If any results ever are to
come Of the efforts, it can never be
done through the District municipal
Offices. It Is not believed that even
the Guard officers believed it would
be successful through the budget
channels. but they put it in never
theless this year, because when the
matter came up In congressional COM
mittees last year, the Guard officials
were asked why they did not include
an estimate for an armory in their
annual recommendation to the Com
missioners for funds with which to
support the Guard. Now that they
have tried out that suggestion, with
failure, they are in the position to 60
back to Congress and tell them that
1t just didn't work.
The District Guard Is in a peculiar
situation in so far as having some one
to look after its support where money
is concerned. There are those in the
District Government who believe
money for an armory should be sup
piled in its entirety by the Federal
Government, although in the States
such money for armories is appro-
priated by the State governments, ex-
cept during the last few years, when
many Of them received armory con-
struction money by ALLEGATIONS from
public works funds. It was pointed
out that the District of Columbia
Commissioners do not have any au-
thority over the Guard. In the event
Of trouble they could not order it out,
as the Governors of the several States
could. The President Of the United
States Is the commander in chief of
the local military forces, as he is of
the Regular Army and Navy, and as
the militia. for this reason, has a sort
Of Federal status. the opinion has
been expressed that District funds
should not be allowed for the con-
struction Of building for them. At
the same time, it was said, the opin-
ion had been rendered that the Chief
Executive, in his official relation to
the local Guard, Is in the same status
as q Governor OF State, and as he
appoints the Commissioners, who are
paid out Of District funds, so funds
for an armory should come out of
District moneys.
Outside Support Sought.
In any further move to get their
armory project directly before Con-
gress, it is probable the local officials