Evening star., 1941-01-23
Guard Hangar Plea
Again Rejected by
Commissioners
District Cont Provide
$4,000 for Building,
Gen. Cox Is Told

A proposal by Brig Gen. Albert
L. Cox of the District National
Guard that the municipal govern
ment be charged $5O0OO of the cost
of erection of hangar for the use
of the Guards 121st Observation
Squadron was rejected formally
today by the Commissioners.
Formal rejection Of the proposal
which it is expected would entail
an annual cost of some $85 900 for
salaries and maintenance, is sched-
uled at a board meeting of the
city heads tomorrow.
In letter dated January II, Gen
Cox revived the issue, which was
considered by Congress, the Budget
Bureau, War Department and the
Commissioners some months ago
protesting that failure to obtain
funds at an early date would mean
the project would have to be aban-
doned.
The Commissioners today reiterat-
ed their formally stated position
that the District does not have the
money available for the project.
They feel, further, that with Army
and Navy air fields within the Dis
trict territory, there is no great need
for a further outlay by the District
government.
Would Disorganize Plans.
Engineer Commissioner David Nc
Coach, jr., and Commissioner John
Russell Young agreed that If the
pending 1912 District budget were
changed to provide the requested
S50,000 outlay it would disorganize
the budget plans and mean that if
an equal amount of proposed ap-
preparations for municipal services
were not eliminated the Commits
sioners might be faced with the
necessity of increasing the realty
tax rate.
The Harrington bill, calling for
an appropriation of S750,000 from
the Federal Treasury to provide for
the aircraft unit, was considered at
the last session of Congress. The
Secretary of War recommended
passage of the bill but suggested the
cost be borne by the District gov
ernment. The District Commission
ers opposed the bill under those
conditions. The Budget Bureau ad-
vised Congress the bill was not in
accordance with the President S
program.
Guard Costs Mounting.
In their report to Congress last
October the Commissioners said
they believed the District was bear
ing fair proportion of the cost of
its National Guard, particularly
since it was constructing a new
armory costing $2,75O,OOO, plus in
creased annual operating costs.
They said they believed it reason
able and proper that the District
should cooperate in paying costs of
the National Guard, even though
the Guard is Federal organization,
over which the municipal authori-
ties exercise no control except as to
its budget"
Gen. Cox reported that last July
80 the War Department allocated
eight new National Guard air squad
rorss. In allocating one to the Dis
trict Guard, Gen. Cox reported the
War Department had before it re-
quests for squardon from 33 States.
He said it had been found desirable
to house the squadron at the new
Washington National Airport, but
that due to density of air traffic there,
use of the Gravelly Point port for
training purposes would be "ex-
tremely hazardous" 1t is now
planned to erect the hangar at
Beltsville, Md. The Guards Obser-
vation Squadron has sent 16 cadets
to Army flying schools to qualify
as commissioned air officers.