80TH CONGREES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session

REPORT

{No. 1584

ESTABLISHING A DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARMORY BOARD

MARCH 19, 1918.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. O'HARA, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 5874]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 5874) to establish a District of Columbia Armory Board, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass.

The purpose of this bill is to enunciate a policy for the maintenance and operation of the District of Columbia National Guard Armory with the use to be primarily for the training of the militia of the District of Columbia, and secondarily to provide suitable facilities for major athletic events and such other activities as may be in the interest of the District of Columbia.

FOREWORD

The District of Columbia National Guard Armory was constructed under authorization contained in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1940 (53 Stat. 1030). It was designed and built to provide a central drill hall of such dimensions (approximately 400 feet by 200 feet), as to accommodate the assembled District of Columbia National Guard at full strength for drill and training purposes, and also sufficiently large to provide an arena or auditorium for major athletic events, concerts, conventions, and gatherings of like nature. The drill hall is enclosed by other parts of the structure which were designed and built to provide separate quarters for the several component elements of the National Guard. Entrance into the drill hall is provided through the ground floor of the headquarters and regimental portions of the structure.

2

thened States

44 ANEKUT OF OVU UMBIA ANMORY BOARD

***Nambia appropriation acts,

the

It was built

Cropriation Act for the sel year 1940 and 21128 1729 1735, and 1736 in the District of was acquired by the United States under land

connection therewith other than to

organization which are.

$200.000 annually, are

include in their annual estimates

authorized by law.

Under this procedure the

Phe Pocict of Columbia National Guard is a strictly Federal HINT * vêy the Inited States and for which advancements the purevser NYYmer the terms of which the funds for acquisition Now has been reimbursed in full by the District of Columbia The Commissioners of the District of Columbia stion, being under the exclusive control of the President of have no control whatsoever over the National Guard, and have no of appropriations the estimate of the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard of the amount of money required for the next ensuing fiscal year to pay the expenses of that pended under the direction of the commanding general. Funds for maintenance and operation of the Armory, amounting to more than are provided in the annual District appropriation acts and are exfunds for the expenses of the District of Columbia National Guard intendent of District Buildings" and are disbursed under the direction bia funds in the appropriation "Operating expenses, Office of SuperDuring the Eightieth Congress three separate bills were introduced to provide for the operation of the National Guard Armory for the the District of Columbia, who contended that, inasmuch as the H. R. 4366 was introduced at the request of the Commissioners of Armory was constructed and maintained entirely with District of Columbia funds, any revenues resulting from the use of the Armory for nonmilitary purposes should go to the District of Columbia, and be applied to the cost of maintenance and operation of the building. The second, H. R. 4988, was introduced at the request of the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, who contended that the Armory was essentially a military facility, and that security required that the building, and the military equipment therein stored, be under the exclusive control of the District of Columbia National Guard, and that any revenues resulting from the rental of the building should be devoted primarily to National Guard purposes.

appropriated annually from District of Colum

of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

secondary or

revenue-producing purposes mentioned above.

The third, H. R. 4956, was introduced at the request of the District of Columbia Board of Trade, the members of which are interested in providing for the utilization of the Armory for presentations of events of various kinds, and was a compromise measure designed to solve, as far as possible, the conflicting claims of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard.

The Subcommittee on the Judiciary of the Committee on the District of Columbia, to which the several bills were referred, conducted public hearings, and had numerous and protracted conferences

with the sponsors of the several bills, in an effort to secure agreement by all members to a plan of operation.

Agreement of the several parties was not reached, and accordingly, the Subcommittee on the Judiciary, in executive session, prepared the bill, H. R. 5874.

PURPOSES OF THE BILL

The purpose of this legislation is to declare the policy of the Congress that the District of Columbia National Guard Armory shall be maintained and operated primarily to provide facilities for the quartering and training of the Militia of the District of Columbia, and secondly, to provide suitable facilities for major athletic events, concerts, conventions, and like activities, to the end that the Armory may be operated as nearly as practicable on a self-supporting basis.

Section 1 of the bill declares the policy of the Congress as above set forth.

Section 2 provides for the establishment of an Armory Board to be composed of representatives of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, the National Guard, and the Congress. The bill designates the President of the Board of Commissioners, the commanding general of the District of Columbia Militia, and the Architect of the Capitol as the members, and provides that each member of the Armory Board may appoint and, in his discretion, withdraw the appointment of an alternate and delegate to such alternate authority to act in the place and stead of the member. This section further provides that the members of the Board and their alternates shall serve without additional compensation, and that the Board shall elect a Chairman from among its members.

Section 3 provides that for the purposes of this act the Armory Board is vested with control and jurisdiction over the District of Columbia National Guard Armory, but that for purposes of maintenance and repair the Armory shall be under the control and jurisdiction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

Section 4: In order to provide adequate space for the parking of automobiles of persons attending the events expected to be presented in the Armory, this section provides that upon request of the Armory Board, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide, under such arrangement for improvement, lighting, and maintenance as may be agreed upon between him and the Board, such areas of land adjacent to the Armory, and under his control and jurisdiction, as the Board deems adequate for this purpose.

Section 5: In order to insure full control by the National Guard of the portions of the Armory usable only for military purposes and of the storage of arms and other military equipment, section 5 of the Armory bill directs the Board to set aside for the exclusive use of the militia such parts of the headquarters and regimental buildings (which enclose the drill hall), basement of the drill hall, and such of the storage rooms contiguous to the drill hall as the Board may, from time to time, find are necessary for the use of the militia. section provides that the parts of the Armory set aside for the use of the militia shall be under the control and jurisdiction of the commanding general of the militia for all purposes except maintenance and repair of the Armory.

This

The Armory was constructed under appropriations,. contained in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1940 and subsequent District of Columbia appropriation acts. It was built on squares 1121, 1122, 1128, 1129, 1135, and 1136 in the District of Columbia, title to which was acquired by the United States under landpurchase procedures by the terms of which the funds for acquisition were advanced by the United States and for which advancements the United States has been reimbursed in full by the District of Columbia from District revenues.

The District of Columbia National Guard is a strictly Federal organization, being under the exclusive control of the President of the United States. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have no control whatsoever over the National Guard, and have no connection therewith other than to include in their annual estimates of appropriations the estimate of the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard of the amount of money required for the next ensuing fiscal year to pay the expenses of that organization which are authorized by law. Under this procedure the funds for the expenses of the District of Columbia National Guard are provided in the annual District appropriation acts and are expended under the direction of the commanding general. Funds for maintenance and operation of the Armory, amounting to more than $200,000 annually, are appropriated annually from District of Columbia funds in the appropriation "Operating expenses, Office of Superintendent of District Buildings" and are disbursed under the direction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

During the Eightieth Congress three separate bills were introduced to provide for the operation of the National Guard Armory for the secondary or revenue-producing purposes mentioned above.

H. R. 4366 was introduced at the request of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, who contended that, inasmuch as the Armory was constructed and maintained entirely with District of Columbia funds, any revenues resulting from the use of the Armory for nonmilitary purposes should go to the District of Columbia, and be applied to the cost of maintenance and operation of the building. The second, H. R. 4988, was introduced at the request of the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard, who contended that the Armory was essentially a military facility, and that security required that the building, and the military equipment therein stored, be under the exclusive control of the District of Columbia National Guard, and that any revenues resulting from the rental of the building should be devoted primarily to National Guard

purposes.

The third, H. R. 4956, was introduced at the request of the District of Columbia Board of Trade, the members of which are interested in providing for the utilization of the Armory for presentations of events of various kinds, and was a compromise measure designed to solve, as far as possible, the conflicting claims of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and the commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard.

The Subcommittee on the Judiciary of the Committee on the District of Columbia, to which the several bills were referred, conducted public hearings, and had numerous and protracted conferences

with the sponsors of the several bills, in an effort to secure agreement by all members to a plan of operation.

Agreement of the several parties was not reached, and accordingly, the Subcommittee on the Judiciary, in executive session, prepared the bill, H. R. 5874.

PURPOSES OF THE BILL

The purpose of this legislation is to declare the policy of the Congress that the District of Columbia National Guard Armory shall be maintained and operated primarily to provide facilities for the quartering and training of the Militia of the District of Columbia, and secondly, to provide suitable facilities for major athletic events, concerts, conventions, and like activities, to the end that the Armory may be operated as nearly as practicable on a self-supporting basis.

Section 1 of the bill declares the policy of the Congress as above set forth.

Section 2 provides for the establishment of an Armory Board to be composed of representatives of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, the National Guard, and the Congress. The bill designates the President of the Board of Commissioners, the commanding general of the District of Columbia Militia, and the Architect of the Capitol as the members, and provides that each member of the Armory Board may appoint and, in his discretion, withdraw the appointment of an alternate and delegate to such alternate authority to act in the place and stead of the member. This section further provides that the members of the Board and their alternates shall serve without additional compensation, and that the Board shall elect a Chairman from among its members.

Section 3 provides that for the purposes of this act the Armory Board is vested with control and jurisdiction over the District of Columbia National Guard Armory, but that for purposes of maintenance and repair the Armory shall be under the control and jurisdiction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

Section 4: In order to provide adequate space for the parking of automobiles of persons attending the events expected to be presented in the Armory, this section provides that upon request of the Armory Board, the Secretary of the Interior shall provide, under such arrangement for improvement, lighting, and maintenance as may be agreed upon between him and the Board, such areas of land adjacent to the Armory, and under his control and jurisdiction, as the Board deems adequate for this purpose.

Section 5: In order to insure full control by the National Guard of the portions of the Armory usable only for military purposes and of the storage of arms and other military equipment, section 5 of the Armory bill directs the Board to set aside for the exclusive use of the militia such parts of the headquarters and regimental buildings (which enclose the drill hall), basement of the drill hall, and such of the storage rooms contiguous to the drill hall as the Board may, from time to time, find are necessary for the use of the militia. This section provides that the parts of the Armory set aside for the use of the militia shall be under the control and jurisdiction of the commanding general of the militia for all purposes except maintenance and repair of the Armory.