Accordingly, Article 65, P. G. L... Md., was repealed and re-enacted
by the Legislature at its January (1922) session in which certain
provisions of the National Defense Act have been incorporated as the
law of the State, thereby conforming to the Act.

It was also found desirable to provide for the functioning of the
ranking line officer of the National Guard on active duty pay status
and to place this officer in control of the military department of the
State. The authority, prerogatives and duties heretofore held and per-
formed by the Adjutant General have, by the present law, been trans-
ferred to the ranking line officer who is responsible only to the Governor,
acting for and by his direction in all matters pertaining to the Military
Department of the State.

SOLDIERS' RELIEF FUND COMMISSION

Chapter 344 of the Acts of the General Assembly of Maryland, Ses-
sion of 1924, as amended by the Acts of 1929, creates a Soldiers' Relief
Fund Commission, with the Adjutant General of the State as Chairman,
and two members to be appointed by the Governor. The Governor has
appointed as members of this Commission:

Colonel James E. Abbott . . Annapolis
Mr, George G. Neumann Annapolis

Fifty thousand dollars per year has been made available by the
Maryland Legislature, which is in the nature of an emergency fund to
be used to assist Maryland Veterans of all wars, or the widows and
infant children of such veterans as are sick, disabled or indigent, and
who are without means to pay for said necessities or for proper care,
and for the purpose of providing the necessary funeral expenses of such
veterans, and for the further purpose of providing reasonable compen
sation to members of the Maryland National Guard who are injured
in line of duty, and in case any such members are killed in line of
duty, then to the widows and infant children of such members, such
sum as the Board provided above shall deem propel; and for the further
purpose of providing higher education for war orphans of Maryland,
the Hoard, above named, in its discretion, is authorized to expend not
to exceed $150 per year for each war orphan.

In addition to the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore City, State
owned armories are now completed in the following towns and cities
throughout the State':

Pikesville Laurel
Frederick Salisbury
Hagerstown Centerville
Cambridge Crisfield
Bel Air Annapolis
Elkton Pocomoke City
Hyattsville Silver Spring
Cumberland Kensington
Westminster

Funds were provided by the 1029 Legislature for the construction
of an armory at Chestertown, and this building will be completed in
1930.