Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-14
GuardUnshaken
By Refusal Of
Armory Permit
Cox Thinks Action
Will Not Halt Plans
For Public Events

The battle for the Armory entered
a new stage today, with the District
National Guard determined to carry
on its public entertainment program,
despite the denial of a license by the
Commissioners.
Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox, District
Guard Commander, said he does not
think the Commissioners action will
have much effect on the Guards
plans to rent the huge building at
Nineteenth and B streets Sc. for
dances, basket ball games and other
entertainment scheduled this au-
tumn and winter.
The Guardsmen bounced back
quickly from an apparent double jolt
handed them yesterday in the latest
episode of their struggle with the
Commissioners for legal and f1nan-
cial control of the armory.
Applied as "Owner."
The Commissioners denied an ap-
plication for an annual permit to
use the armory as a public hall. As
sistant Corporation Counsel Chester
Gray said the ruling was based on
the fact that Gen. Cox had applied
as 'fowner or manager" of the build
ing. The Commissioners consider
the District, which built the ediflce,
as the owner.
At the same time, Commissioners
denied an application Of c. E. Slick,
representative of seating concern,
to erect bleachers in the armory for
basket ball games.
Mr.. Slick also acted as agent for
the Guard, which he named as
owner of the Armory, position in
which the Commissioners could not
concur.
How the rebuffs will affect the
Guards determination to retain full
control of the Armory Is problemati-
cal.
Boxing Show Tonight.
An amateur show for tonight will
go on unhampered. Mr.. Gray de-
cided the event comes under the
head of the National Guards own
recreation and entertainment pro-
gram, which can be conducted in
definitely without any permits at
all.
Gen. Cox said there in no concern
over seats tonight, since the Guard
can get 5000 of them. They will be
ordinary chairs and not raised like
circus seats, he said.
AS for the future, Gen. Cox said
he feels that, as tenant of the
Armory, he still has the inside track.
1--WE won't give up our position
that the National Guard is the owner
and should have full control of the
Armory." he said.
The Headquarters Detachment As
ISOLATION, Guard subsidiary, will
go ahead with plans for a dance
November o. Name Bands, Inc,
and not the Guard, will sponsor the
dance for rental of $1,000 or Is
per cent of the gross, and the money
will be turned over to the associa-
ton as contracting agent and will
be held until the controversy over
Armory ownership is settled.
Gen. Cox said he will "offer every
cooperation" to the high schools
and colleges that have scheduled
basket ball games in the Armory
during December, January and
February The matter of seats re-
mains a problem, however.
Sees Hope for Schools.
Perhaps the schools can go toI
the Commissioners and get them,
Gen. Cox suggested. st have in
sisted on our people complying with
any permit demands as a mark of
courtesy. We've given the Commits
sioners a chance to say, No. no, no,
SO many times perhaps it was a
mistake in the first place"
Whether the District government
will attempt to intervene in any
public entertainment sponsored by
organizations other than the Guard
remains to be seen. That the Guard
would get any kind of license to
operate as owner" of the Armory
was obviously ruled out for good.
Our position is that the Guard
does not own the Armory and never
had the right to rent it out for non
military uses" Mr.. Gray said.
It's problem that will not be set
tied until an undisputed Armory
landlord is established, by agree
ment, legislation or court action.