Evening star., 1941-01-12

Although the local militia brigade
officials have always understood that
they could only enlist citizens of the
United States, and have rigidly
followed that practice, they were
somewhat surprised several days ago
when they received telegram from
the headquarters of the Sd Army
Corps Area at Baltimore. Md, direct
ing that members of the Guard who
were aliens, but who declared their
intentions of becoming citizens will
not be discharged prior to induction
of the militia into the Federal
service.
The order was considered of
sufficient Importance to have COM
manders recheck their personnel on
the matter of citizenship. Officers
explained that perhaps during the
induction of some of the units in
other parts of the country, 1t may
have been found that some OF the
members of the command were
aliens, but had enlisted under a
misapprehension that they were
citizens. In such cases, 1t was said
that if the men declare their inten-
tions they will be allowed to remain
in the service under the latest order
of the Army Corps Headquarters.
While making preparations to
leave for field service for what thev
hope is one year of training, local
Guard officials still are considerably
interested in the fact that bids will
be opened on February for the
troops quarters for the new armory
to be built at the eastern end Of
East Capitol street. The drill hall
is practically completed, and the new
structures will surround it and pro-
vide quarters and working spaces
for the various units of the COM
mand.
Taking into consideration the time
necessary to examine the bids, award
the contracts and then for the con-
struction, officers estimate that 1t
will take more than a year to COM
plete the structure, and they are
hoping that 1t will be completed by
the time they complete their field
service. now scheduled for one year.
However, there are officers who have
expressed the opinion that the
troops will not be returned TO their
home stations in that period, but
may be in the field for a very long
time.
Some of the local officers are ex-
pected to be ordered TO Fort George
G.. Meade, Md, the latter part OF
this month. according to informa-
ton received at brigade headquar-
ters. 1t was said that present plans
call for the establishment OF an offl-
GERS school at the camp to which
will be attached as students officers
serving as adjutants OF the units
As these are the personnel ofncers
of the various units. 1t was said 10
be rather important that they re-
ceive some detailed instruction IN
the Army methods of handling their
officers when the troops are taken
into the field.
The exact dates for the schools
have not been announced and the
officers to 60 have not been selected
it was said. The local headquar-
tiers also is without information as
to whether these officers will remain
in the service, upon completion OF
the school period, or return to their
organizations to await the mobili-
zation of their units. Officers are
still without any definite informa-
ton as to when the remainder OF
the troops here are to be called
All of the remaining units, after
the 260th Regiment of Coast Ar
tillery goes into the field, are, ac-
cording to present plans, to take
their training at Fort Meade. Their
mobilization and induction depends
upon the completion of the con-