Evening star., 1938-01-09
PLAN TO IMPROVE
DISTRICT ARMORY
W. P. A. Officials Inspect
Guards Old. Building
for Repairs.

IOr hepdlrS.
Some idea Of the age Of the present
armory occupied by the District Ma
tlonal Guard and the antiquated in
stallatlons there may be obtained
from the fact that w. P. A. engineers,
who inspected the building last week.
founo equipment they had never seen
before Much of the material they
examined, they said, they had never
seen any place during their construc-
ton careers.
However, the guardsmen have been
using this equipment for more than
seven years when they went into the
building, after being moved from the
old Government hotel buildings on the
Union Station Plaza. The inspections
were to determine upon program for
renovating the building. project
which has been delayed for the years
since the Guard entered the building.
Col. John w. Oehmann, commando
ing the militia, has been working with
the Federal officials in an effort to
map cut a program which would put
the building in a better condition.
Several times efforts have been made
to obtain Federal funds for this work,
| but nothing was allocated.
The fact that 1t is proposed to
spend money on this hundred-year-
old building was not to be taken, it
was said, as an indication that the
Guard officials intend in any way to
let up in their efforts to have Con-
gress to provide, at this session, funds
for the purchase of site and the
beginning of the construction of an
adequate building
The building, it was said, is in such
very bad condition that some work is
imperative if the Guard Is to continue
to inhabit 1t for even a few months
longer. The roof is leaking so badly.
it was asserted. that in times OF heavy
rains the civilian employees have to
rush throughout the upper floors and
drag heavy tarpaulins over the mate
rial in order to protect it from seri-
GUS damage. The corridors OF the
company rooms, in many instances.
are devoid of plaster, making the
quarters most unattractive to the per-
sonfel.
There is considerable painting also
to be done. but whether this will apply
to the exterior of the building awaits
the final decision Of the inspectors.
The 29th National Guard Division
has received two new officers. 1t Col
Thomas j. Shryock, jr, Field Artillery,
and Maj. Henry c. Stanwood, Infantry
both attached to the State staff Of the
Maryland National Guard. Maj. Stan
wood formerly was an aide to the late
Maj Gen. Anton Stephen.
Officers of the Guard must think
their instruction work and field cam
paigns out months ahead of time, II
they desire to get maps for such pur-
poses from the War Department. Their
field exercises must be planned months
IN advance, and maps must be ordered.
The War Department announced
requests for maps for field and armory
exercises must be in each year prior
to March 81. Accordingly Col. Oeh-
mann sent notice to all units to i'm
medlately take stock and have their
maps requests in the headquarters in
time for that unit to get the requests
to the War Department within the
time limit.
Neither the armory inspection dates
nor the field encampment dates have
been finally determined, the periods
suggested by the Guard headquarters
having yet to be approved by the 3rd
Army Corps Area headquarters at
| Baltimore.
1t was indicated some OF the dates
| OF the inspections will have to be
changed, although the Guard officials
are hopeful that their original plan to
have all OF the tests completed during
March may still be carried out. ANY
shifts which will have to be made.
may be among tie dates Of the various
units. within the monthly period car.
rled In the recommendation to the
Army headquarters.
The changes. it was said. will be
made necessary by the fact that officers
needed to conduct the tests will be
busy with other organiza tions. These
inspections are conducted by officers
OF the Regular Army establishment for
the purpose Of checking the state of
efficiency Of the personnel and the
condition of material.
| The honorable discharge Of Serrt.
Milford A. Juten. Company B, l2lst
Engineers, to permit him to accept
promotion by commission to second
lieutenant of engineers, was an
nounced. He has been assigned to
Company D Of the Engineer ReRi.
ment for duty.
Because of removal from the city,
Pvts. William P. Colvin and Marvin
G. Randall have been placed on the
inactive list of the Service Company
OF the 29th Division In the same
command, Pvt. Nathan N. Popowsky
has been placed on the active list.
Pvt. Charles M. Wesner has also been
transferred to the active list.
Pvts. (First Glass; Marvin A. LAu-
derdale. Walter F. Ufer jr., and Earl
r. Rose and Pvt. Fred E. Parker
have been ordered to the inactive list
OF the Goth Division Military Police
Company because of business inter-
| ference.
Pvt. (First Class William A. Planer
has been promoted to corporal. and
Sergt. Harry Janzig has been reduced
to private in Company r, l21st
Engineers.
Pvt. Paul E. Spear has been trans
ferred from Battery B to Battery D.
and Pvt. Kenneth w. Russell from
Battery D to Battery B. both in the
261th Coast Arti1lerv pao{v,aot