Evening star., 1947-10-21
Armory Ownership
Court Test Expected
To Be Prolonged

District officials today expressed
the opinion that, if it is necessary
to appeal to the courts to settle the
dispute, over possession of the Ma
tional Guard Armory, considerable
time will elapse before the case is
finally decided.
These officials believe that, what
ever the decision of the District
Court, the case probably would be
carried to the Court of Appeals
In view of this there was reluctance
in trying to estimate the time by
which the question would be
determined ultimately.
The procedure for settlement OF
the Armory question was announced
after a meeting of the Commission
ers and Brig. Gen. Albert L. Cox
commander of the National Guard
yesterday afternoon.
Cox to State Contention.
Commissioner Guy Mason and
Gen. Cox said is was agreed Gen
Cox would submit to the Commis
sioners his construction of the law
on which he bases his contention the
big drill hall belongs to the National
Guard. Then, if the Commissioners
do not agree with Gen. Coxs posi-
ton, they will instruct Corporation
Counsel Vernon E. West to draw up
a. friendly suit for decision from
the District Court.
The Commissioners have dis
agreed with Gen. Cox up to now
and the controversy came to head
over the $500 the Home Builders
Association paid to unit within the
Guard for use of the Armory. OBJ
servers failed to see any new ele-
ment in the dispute which would
bring the Commissioners into agree
ment with Gen. Cox and thus avoid
a court test.
Mr.. Mason said, II suit is filed
it will contain an agreed statement
of facts in an effort to expedite the
courts action.
In addition to the Commissioners
and Gen. Cox at yesterdays confer
ence were Mr.. West, Chester H.
Gray, principal assistant corpora
ton counsel; Lee F. Dante, assist
ant corporation counsel, and G. M.
Thornett. secretary to the Board of
Commissioners.
Fees to Remain Intact.
The conferees announced that,
pending determination of the ques-
tion of ownership and control of the
Armory, rental fees collected by the
Guard will be retained intact.
This applies to the $500 received
from the Home Builders. Gen. Cox
said that, in general, the fee for use
of the building for night would be
$1,000 or Is per cent of the gross
receipts, whichever is larger.
The United Nations Girls have
contracted to use the hall for three
dances, he said. George Washington
University's homecoming dance will
be held in the Armory November /.
Gen. Cox said the fee In this in
stance is 500 recruits or $500, and
"the Guard would rather have the
recruits than the money"
The Guard itself is planning a
boxing show, tentatively set for No.
vember IA, but Gen. Cox said the
receipts probably will not cover much
more than expenses.
Tentative Plans.
Tentative plans have been made
for college basketball games at the
Armory from December through
February. Gen. Cox said no con-
tracts have been signed, because
those arranging the events are con-
cerned over the limitation of seat
ing to 4,825.
Gen. Cox will meet tomorrow af-
ternoon with Athletic Directors Max
Harrington of George Washington
University and Rome Schwagel of
Georgetown to discuss plans for the
schools basket ball double headers.
Both Mr.. harrington and Mr.. Scha-
wagel said last week the proposed
double headers would be impractical
under the armory seating limita-
tions.
The public high schools will have
the building on Fridays in January
and February for basketball. No
amount has been agreed upon "and
we don't anticipate any great
amount" Gen. Cox said.
He agreed that, If the position of