Evening star., 1917-09-16
WAR COMES HOME
TO KENT ISLAND
Face Loss of Their Homes,
Some Dating From Days
of the Revolution.
u. S. HAS NEED OF ISLAND

u. S. HAS NEED Of ISLAND
One of the tragedies of the great war
is being brought home to a nearby COM
mInity OF AIarylanders, the residents of
Kent Island. in Chesapeake bay, on the
eastern shore. opposite Chesapeake Beach.
They are threatened with the loss OF their
homes. some of them coming down from
colonial times TO the present occupants.
The War department has determined to
seize the island. dispcssess the inhabi-
tants and establish great ordnance prov
ing E.s;I,, ground I'd. -. ,-...s.., :.
made out of the hundred million dollar
emergency fund granted the President.
the Kent Islanders do not want money
they want their homes, and have taken
their case to Congress
Five hundred of the residents of the is
land appeared yesterday before the SEN
atc committee on military affairs to
voice their protest against the action of
the War department. 1t is hoped to Sc
cure congressional action forbidtiing the
use OF money for this purpose and pre-
vent the Communicating OF the island.
Urges Necessity of Sacrifice.
Secretary Baker. the first witness be-
fore the Senste committee on military af-
fairs. CouteEded that Kent Island. on ac-
and freedom from disadvantages, is vital
TO the War Department in order that il
can feel assured that adequate guns and
proper ammunition are sent TO the Amer
lean soldiers in France.
We are engaged in the greatest war
in the history of the world" said the
Secretary. This war is being fought
with the most deadly Instruments ever
invented for warfare. The duty of this
government therefore is to supply our
FORCES IN France with guns and am
muuitton of proved excellence"
Secretary Baker declared that Sandy
Hook is Inadequate for 4 proving ground
to test modern guns and ammunition
he toId OF sending out experts to sur
Vey the field Of possible proving
grounds and said that the question of A
site had finally narrowed down to Del
aware bay and Chesapeake bay. and
that Kent Island was considered the
best place.
Kent Island Ideal.
An investigation OF the Delaware
Showed no adequate place" said Sec
Ictary Baker. Kent Island however
fstahSolu;ely suita BILE as though il had
been made by nature for this purpose
~ has every Qualification and is an
ideal place.
Il have profound respect for those
who hold tender attachment for their
home said the Secretary. In view OF
The vital necessity of properly proving
our guns and ammunition and the adj
Fantages of Kent Island for our pur-
poses. We feel these people should make
the sacrifice Of giving un their homes
InlS is time of sacrifices We are
taking sons from thousands of homes
70 send abroad tc die. Mothers are sac
rinclrg their BOYS. wives their hus-
bands There will he a generation Of
1atherless children in this country. 7
therefore make no apologies to the
Eoo1 people OF Kent Island. That is
land IS wanted to diminish the greater
coll 1aJ
upon to make.
know that If the people of Kent
Island are satisfied this is the one place
Tor adequately testing our guns and am
munition they will make the sacrifice"
Gen. William Crozier. chief of ord
nance followed Secretary Baker He
SAD that Sandy Hook will be aban-
doned as a proving ground and n ia
absolutely necessary to establish am
other proving ground in the east.
Charge by Senator Smith.
During the hearing Senator Smith
OF MARYLAND charged that nunition
manufacturer of Baltimore was in
.erested in the acquisition of Kent Is
Jand by the government Mr. Bruce of
Baltimore. who was in the room,
stepped forward and declared that the
statement of Senator Smith was a per
soma attack on him and that he would
De- heard from later
Several residents of the is1a,d -.
peated the arguments which have been
published heretofore against the seizura
OF their land and contending that the
government he wealth of other sites
on vacant lands suitable for the pur-
pose. pun
All day long 2 spirited discussion
oetWeen the parties at issue held the
eeo'nmittee- The Kent Island deleea-
1oh included many Of The wives and
daughters of the lsndholders and The
manifested intense interest in the pro
ceedihss There are about 5000 people
on the island and the land at stake ae-
gregates about 1 1000 acres.
Senator Martin of Virginia declared
mat IT would be crime to dispossess
the inhabitants and secuted the ,dea
mat this is the only available site for
& proving ground.
Senators Smith and France Of
maryland spoke in the same tenor
The Army officers were tenacious
however. in their insistence that this ia
oS an means the most desirable site and
contended that the inhabitants should
eacrihce their personal interests for the
greater good OF the ma ton
secretary Of War Baker. Gen Crozier
S & ,Kussles; Maj; Summers. Maj. Hof-
Ter. Maj. lmbrey. Howard Bruce and "
II Price. jr.. of Baltimore presented the
case for the War Department while
SSenator Smith. Majority Leader Martin
Senator france, Gov. Harrington and DR.
Island u Neiie
one OF the important deyelopments Of
ehe hearing brought out was thai rhe W.
department has a second-choice site in
maryland in the event Kent Island 10 NOT
EiVen them This site is located along
sne west shore of the Chesapeake bav In
hartford county, and comprises what is
EnoWn as Halls Crossroads the C;unnoH-.
ger rive: neck and Pooles Island. II also
eeve4oped tnat- The Bethlehem Steel Com
Pa'iy mas established big testing range
" New Jersey. and Senator Martin and
Benator France declared that the War
department under the present law can
torce mat corporation TO permit the war
department to use this range while il ia
preparing proving ground of its own
lhere We're frequent tits between the
ARM offlcers. Mr.. Bruce and Senators
eini'Il ana france. and a times the hear
Ing was surcharged with feeling Tba
committee will pass upon the subject next