Evening Star Newspaper, December 23, 1928, Page 62

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON. D. C., DECEMBER 1928—PART 4. D. C. Naval Reserve As the regular drill nights of the United States Naval Reserve Battalion of the District of Columbia Yall this month on Christmas and New Year eves, orders have been issued suspending the regular drill nights for that period, and they will be held on Thursday night Air Station at Pensacola, Fla., where he will remain until June 30 next, it was announced, has been ordered transfer- red from the fleet aviation reserve to the volunteer aviation reserve. Benjamin Schloer, chief yeoman, re- of each of the two weeks, It Was an-|giding at 3323 Sixth street southe nounced by Lieut. Comdr. Harry J. Nichols, executive officer of the organ ization. The examination b examining about three-fourths of the enlisted men who have been rec- ommended for promotion, and it is ex- pected to complete its task soon after the fust of the year. There were 80 men who were recommended for pro- has been a long an has to be ex- the board. d has completed om system, which d at the local bat- s under the direction Fin ¢ Bascom Smith, id to be working out well to keep up the interest Eventually, it was pointed schools will be developed so v will provide classes for worthy 3 men whom has shown would be excell rial. At the present time no promo- tions are being made from the ranks to the commissioned grade, but it was added that it will not be long before the lower commissioned grades will have to be filled with those who have sp some time in learning the rudiments naval science As soon as any members of the local battalion - show that they e ma; tered the ground work in their dutie plans, it was said. will be developed for giving them the subjects on which the will have to be examined for commi sion uding navigation. of the men, young of Edwin M. Graham has been ded for transfe from the volunteer to the fleet Reserve for as- signment to the local battalion, it was announced. Ensign recomme! Ensign Malcolm M. Cloukey, attached to the local aviation division, who now is on duty at the United States Naval Five rifie teams have been entered this vear by the National Guard of the Distriet of Columbia in “he indoor mili- tary matches conducte { under the aus- pices of the National Rifle Association, it was announced at urigade headquar- ters of the local Guard. The 121st Regiment of Enginests’ -team was cn- tered in the regimental team match, while Companies D-and .E and the Headquarters and Service Company of the 121st Engineers and the team of the State administrative stafl were en- tered in the company team matches. These are small-bore matches, which are conducted in the indoor ranges of the armories throughout: the country, each match being fired ~before a dis- interested observer. - ‘The matches last four weeks, the entries closing on Feb- ruary 1 next. All of the targets in the matches must be at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association here by April 1. The regiment of Engineers won the corps area regimental match last year, but lost the national match, while Com- pany E, which is commanded by Capt. Clarence S. Shields, a shooting mem- ber of the team, won both the corps arca and national company team matches. Aside from the sport of winning the matches, the rifle-shooting experts of the local Guard point out that the greatest good coming from the indoor matches is the training which the men receive for the higher-powered outdoor matches later in the year, including the national matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. A general bettering of the drill at- tendance among members of the vari- ous units of the local Guard is noted in the weekly report of drill attendance submitted to brigade headquarters. Three organizations reported enough men at drill to put them in the classi- fication of superior, with a percentage of better than 90 per cent. They were | the Headquarters Detachment, 29th Division, Special Troops, which had a 100 per cent attendance; the Head-| quarters Detachment, 260th Coast | Artille: 95.24, and the band, 121st| Engineers, 91.43. " The Medical Department Detach- ment, 260th Coast Artillery, was the only one classified as excellent, with a percentage of 85.71, while three organi- zations were rated very satisfactory, they being Quartermaster Corps De- tachmens, 75.00; Headquarters and Service Company, 121st Engineers, 75.00, and the Headquarters Detach- Ment, 74.14. Classified as satisfactory were Com- vgny E, 121st Engineers, 62.12; Battery 1B, 260th Coast Artillery, 60.79; Com- ny B, 121st Engineers, 60.61, and mpany D, 121st Engineers, 60.56. Unsatisfactory ratings were given to #he followin, Battery C, 260th Coast Battery A, 260th Coast Company A, 121st En- a Company F, 121st Engi- neers, 54.69, and 29th Military Police Company, 53.58. Three organizations finished last—in the very unsatisfactory class. ' They were. Company C, 12Ist Engineers, 48.48; Company A, 372d Infantry, 43.66, and the Medical Department Detach- ment, 121st Engineers, 25.00. The officers and men of the local National Guard will lose two drills dur- ing the Christmas holiday 25 and January 1. The War Department has issued or- s that R. O. T. C. graduates may be ointed to the Officers’ Reserve Corps nlisted in the National Guard, even though there be no vacancy under the war tables of organization. This ap- plies to graduates of the present school year, and is to be effective until fur- ther action, pending a study of the sit- uation. Professors of military science and tactics have been instructed to ob- tain information as to what members, if any, of their units who may be e: pected to satisfactorily complete the R. O. T. C. courses during the current year are members of the National Guard. Second Lieut. Thomas A. Miller was presented last Tuesday night with his commission in the Headquarters De- , 260th Coast Artillery. The was made by Maj. Ge Medical Department commissioned in the local Naticnal G xplained last weck, of placing the senior medical officer of the Guard on the State fI, instead of with a mental unit. Formerly the senior Allen in command of a medical unit, while First Lieut. Joseph J. Green- law was with the State administrative staff. These two have changed places, and by the change the command of the unit goes to Capt. Edward C. Morse. Much of the medical work of the last camp fell on the shoulders of Maj. Allen because of the absence from camp of other medical officers. He even functioned as medical officer of the division staff. Thus all of the medical work of the last camp, including the routine inspections, was made on one| medical officer. Four enlisted men of the Engineer Regiment who were on the eligible list for promotion by commission were ex amined last Tuesday night to fill va- cancles existing in the regiment, and it was reported at brigade headquarters have successfully passed. They were Bergt. Cooper B. Rhodes, Headquarters —December | | has been placed on the retired list afts | 30 years of service in both the Regular establishment and the Reserve. Since being in the Reserve, he has been chief clerk of the Naval Air Station, at Ana- costia, D. C. promoted from seaman, first class, to gunner's mate, third class, and Henry H. Willams from boatswain's mate, second class, to boatswain's mate, first class. Both men are on indefinite active duty, serving as shipkeepers aboard the U. S. destroger Abel P. Upshur, training ship of the local Re- serve battalion. The following were reported to have enlisted in the local battalion during the week: Harry E. Garland, 812 Fiful street northeast, seaman, sccond class assigned to the 3d Fleet Division Ernest H. Fountaine, 2400 Thirteentt street, seaman, second class, assigned tc the 2d Fleet Division, and Studor R Carr, 1475 Spring place, seaman, seconc class, assigned to the 2d Fleet Division The 10 squadrons and 31 divisions o! the flying Naval Reserve still remair under-complemented, both in officer: and enlisted personnel, according to Rear Admiral Moffett, chief of the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics. He say: that efforts have been made to obtair s officer material from uni- to strength the divisions which have no| facilities for _instruction or aircraft operations. ‘Two important projects| recommended by the Bureau of Aero- nautics affetcing the Naval Reserve, he says, have failed of legislation, the proposed employment of reserve naval aviators on short-term active duty, periods and the second attempt at in-| augurating a five-year program. With| the acute shortage which will exist in the regular service of naval aviators Company, and Pvt, John H. Anderson, Company C. They will be appointed and their commissions given them as soon as they are received from the War Department. The following have been ordered transferred from the active list to the tions for the reasons given: Business interference with attendance at drill—Pvt. William L. Knight, 29th Military Police Company. Educational interference with drillf attendance—Pvt. Paul A. Profe, Medical Department Detachment, 121st Engi- neers: Pvt. Henry W. Link, Company| D, 121st Engineers, and Pvt.,Clarence E. Persons, Company D, 121st Engi- neers. 121st Engineers, has been dropped from the rolls of his organization as a deserter as of April 24 last, he having failed to report for drill on or after| that date, and all efforts to locate him having failed. Second Lieut. Pearson C. Conlyn has been relieved of his duties as adjutant of the 1st Battalion, 121st Engineers, and directed to report to the command- ing officer of Company A, same regi- ment, for duty. First Lieut. Walter S. Knight, Com- any B, 121st Engincers, has been re- ieved of detail to that unit and ordered the 1st Battalion for duty as adjutant. ‘The promotion of Second Lieuts. John C. May, Company C, 121st Engi- neers, and Lincoln S. Jones, Company| D, 121st Engineers, to the grade of first lieutenants was announced at brigade headquarters. Lieut. May has been or- dered to Company B for duty, while Lieut. Jones goes to Company C. ‘The 1928 register of officers of the National Guard of the country now is in the hands of the public printer, it was said at the Militia Bureau, and is expected to be ready for distribution, to begin about January 15 next. The new book will contain about 60 histories of regimental organizations which now form the National Guard of a total of 111:;.; thk:h are eventually to be pub- ed. Efforts of local National Guard offi- cials to get a start toward the provision of an armory building for the local militia by putting in an estimate of]| $100,000 for beginning the construction| was the provision for the armory. is has been the practice for o number of years, and it seems improb- able that the Guard officials will ever| be able to get an estimate, even through the District officials, to the Bureau of| the Budget, and must get their armory,| if at all, by special act of Congress. Having practically nothing to do with! the local Guard, except to pass on the estimates, it may be readily seen why the District officials will look after| projects for which they are directly responsible before even approving an- other one such as the Guard. There| is still the confliet of opinion which has| been holding the Guard back for years in its efforts to get a home. The Fed- al officials look upon it as a District) force, in the same status as a State militia, while the District government| officials say that it is a Federal force| and should be provided for directly with Federal funds, although District funds are used in part for its mainte-| nance. The District officials have no| authority to call out the militia in_the| case of an emergency arising here. But. it was pointed out, during the Klan activitles here several years ago, when| there was a fear that some trouble| might develop, the Commissioners at that time asked that the organization be held in readiness for any eventuali- ties, and the organization was called| into service and kept in the armory until the activities had subsided. While| it was not necessary to use them, never-| | theless, it was pointed out, as soon as the District officials requested them to| ‘sland by for assistance to the police - | the force was immediately assembled. With the appropriation knocked out, there is a fear now that Congress also | will neglect to rive consideration to the | give” the local Guard the use of the | Pension Office Building for armory pur- poses when the General Accounting Office vacates it. The bill has not been vigorously pushed, although the Na- tional Guard Association at its recent |convention in Hot Springs, Ark. di- rected that its legislative and execu- tive committees actively work for the passage of the bill in order that the National Capital’s militia might have a building which would set an example for the States to follow. With pres- sure of other business on the Hill it is believed now that Congress will not act on the Guard measure, and it will have to be reintroduced at the next Con- gress, when the whole problem will have to be explained all over again to new members of both houses. Even if this bill passes, it was | pointed out, it will be 10 years before the Guard will be able to take advan- tege of it, as it is estimated that it will be that length of time before the ac- counting office vacates the Pension |Building. In the meantime, unless | some other provision is made, the Guard will have to struggle along and take its and Service Company; Sergt. Albert J. Kubeldzis, Compaay C; Corpl. Samuel W. Marsh, Headguarters and | training in unatfractive surroundings in | the old Government hotel bulldings on plaza. Service the Unlon Statlon Charles E. Kimmell has been ordered | Pvt. John R. Enselman, Company C, £ to report to the commanding officer of i and naval aviation pilots, some means, he sa; must be adopted above and beyond those now available for securing additional pilots to man the aircraft contemplated in the five-year building program. It has been proved that at least a year with the squadrons of the fleet is necessary fo rReserve officers in forder to properly indoctrinate and fit {them for dutizs that a naval aviator is called upon to perform. Under the present policy the services of these |officers are then lost to the regular | establishment and they are returned to | inactive duty. | He adds that in submitting a five- car program for Naval Rseerve avi tion the burcau endeavored to obtain the ne legislation in order to i nd working basis in ac- | cordance with the approved peacetime |allowance of personnel and material as roved by the Navy Department. Reserves of their respective organiza- B | bill pending in both houses which would §2 [ I MARINE CORPS NEWS | The Secretary of the Navy, accom- panied by the Assistant Secretaries and |Maj. John A. Lejeune, Brig. Gens. Charles L. McCawley, Rufus H. Lane, | George Richards, Benjamin H. Fuller and their staff, respectively, attended |the annual Christmas tree’ festivities | yesterday, which were held in the big ,Tom, third floor of the third wing of the Navy Building. A Christmas tree electrically illuminated was the center of attraction. The following had the affair in charge: Mrs. Jane Blakney, | chairman; Mrs. Kitty Kinnear, Mrs. Margaret Shaughnessy, Miss Irene Scotf, Q. M. Sergt. Wesley J. Thomas and Pvt. (first-class) Emerson W. Giles. The corps headquarters has been deluged with requests for leave over the holidays, and these have as far as prac- ticable been granted to those applicants entitled thereto. The commanding general at Quantico has granted leave o some hundreds of officers and men, | many of whom will sperid the holidays in Washington Elaborate preparations have been under way at Quantico for the entertainment of those who will re- main at the post, as well as at the Marine Barracks and navy yard in this city. Lieut. Col. Jesse F. Dyer, com- manding officer, Marine Barracks, navy yard, this city, has been busy of late supervising the preparations incident to the celebration of the holidays by the men attached to his command. A Christmas tree has been erected in the recreation room on the second floor. The enlisted men attached to the Marine Barracks, Eighth and I streets southeast, were hosts at the dance held last night in the spacious band audi- torium at the barracks. The United States Marine Band rendered the mu- sic. Corpl. Kapanke, chairman of the dance committee, had charge of the af- fair. Lieut. Merton J. Batchelder, post adjutant and officer in charge of the post exchange, helped supervise the ar- rangements for the celebration. Capt. Edward A. Platt, who has been under medical treatment for some weeks, Is due to report at the Marine Barracks, Eighth street southeast, where, upon arirval, it is understood that he will be assigned to regular duty and additional duty as editor of the corps’ monthly periodical, the Leatherneck. Capt. Robert E. Mills, attached to the Marine Barracks, local navy yard, will go on leave today for a period of 10 days over the holidays. The senior examining board at corps rdquarters during the past week ex- \'ned the records, respectively, of the iowing named officers for promotion grade of lieutenant colonel: Franklin B. Garrett, Samuel W. n and Albert E. Randall. The rec- |ords of Capts, DeWitt Peck, Archie F. | Howard and Raymond R. Wright, re- | spectively, were examined Incidental to | their advancement to the grade of major. '"The junior examining board ex- jamined First, Lieut. Claude A. Phillips and First Licut. John W. Beckett in- cident to their being promoted to the | grade of captain. Maj. John A. Lejeune is expected to present the past commandant's jewel to First Lieut. Willard N. Hart, past com mandant of the National Capital de- | tachment of the Marine Corps League, the evening of January 21. First Lieut. James S. Monahan, Don’t Forget Anybody this Christmas—NOT ANYBODY The Hecht F Street at 7th ““Oh, John, here’s a gift from the Brown’s . . . and we for- got to get them a thing” . ... hitherto attached to the Department of the Pacific, has been ordered to corps headquarters. Second Lieut. Sol Levensky left Nica- ragua last Friday, purSuant to orders of the commandant of the corps, to re- port at corps headquarters, this city. As Noisy as an Oyster. The oyster, once regarded as the per- sonification of silence, has been proved to be a noisy fellow. The noise made by thousands of these bivalves in a vast oyster bed has been found to in- terfere very seriously with communica- tion by means of the sea radio. This s a rather important matter, for the method of signaling through the sea is becoming more and more general and is of great value to the vessels ap- proaching port. For the Last-Minute Shopper Gifts purchased up t p.m. tomorrow, will be livered before midni Monday. Betty Lane, the personal shopper, will attend yvour last-minute gift wants, if you can't shop yourself. Mail and phone orders will receive prompt att tion no matter how busy we may be. SR SSR———————— U e LR L) 2 i L £ R v by Wk PO A e e i 05 de- ght Those good assortments. to who forgot to “shop early” will still find our gift stocks presenting A Gift Certificate will solve your problem if you can’t decide what to buy. —and for those who want en- pany you. assistance in making selec~ tions, we will detail a per= sonal shopper to accom-