The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-26

CAMP JACKSON WILL
BE RETAINED
Twenty-seven Camps and Fif-
teen Aviation Fields VIII Be
Abandoned.

Washington, March 21.-Decision
Of the war department to proceed
with the purchase Of the sites Of 10
army camps and 13 balloon ono
flying fields over the country was an
nounceu today by Acting Secretary
,rowe,i. Less than s15,000,000 Will
be involved, Mr.. Crowell said,> and it
Will not be necessary to await action
BY congress as the department now
has the necessary funds.
With these purchases, completed
the army will have 80 training
camps, including the original Is can
tonments constructed for the training
of the National Army and 19 aviation
centers most of which will be IN the
Southeastern States, Texas and Cali
forria. The few feds to be retained
in the North will be regarded as
summer flying centers only.
Twenty-seven camps and Is aV1a-
ton fields will be abandoned. Orders
already have gone out for the aban-
donnent of 20 Of the camps, includ-
ing nearly all Of the National Guards
t.ai!.!llg canters set up after the Unit
I'd States declared war on Germany.
Construction work on the 27 camps,
according to war department figures
represents a, cost Of approximately
$40. 100000 Of which s43,00o,00o was
spent on the four emoarhation ca-
tonments-Mills, n. Y. and Merritt,
n. J.. and Stuart and Hill, Newport
News.
Approximately s2So,O00,0o0 has
been spent in construction work on
the Is cantonments to be bought aad
he Is now owned and it was large'I
because of the sum involved -''"+ -;
department decided to go ahead with
the purchase. Most Of the 80 camps
now are being used as rehabilitation
centers. bat 10 definite plans for their
emp: ant after the war army IS
aisha.. ed have been evolved. 1t was
explained that the whole problem, o.
the future use OF the camps depend
ed upon the nations military polic:;
and shat no conclusion as to that
couia be reached un:iI TIE peace con-
fare:!es. al Paris had rendered its de
c:sioY. as 10 wcr!d disarmament.
announcement aifn2Gy has beer
:,l.sse. e;1a: Only t,vo ,hyins fields ac-
t,,a!ly would 10 used IL tl,aining army
ayiators in peace t.l:2c ana that oths.:'i
purchased OF now owned would be-
coli.c storage plants for material on
hard ard under contract Location oi
the G:.;;ae. relters - be retained
shows q plan 10 nase three general
training cai;crS. one IN the Far West.
one in the southwestern part Of the
COUNTRY and orc in the Southeast
with ene different fields n each SEC
son close enough together so that
elementary and advanced training
viii he provided within reasonable
area. Tote! expenditures On the ~
.iyine, ard balloon fields to be rai:;in-
ea represent about $50. 900 900
BESIDES the fields to be bought TO:
Nnii;t;icv purposes, "ne other, Crap
r;,sn. FLORIDA. also VIII be purchased
FOR l:usinass. reasons" and >u''se-
ttuantlv sujd. The same procedure Viii
fe foi;owea in the case Of Camp Sc
,ia.. south Carolina, which was used
rs . :<ational Guar1 training center.
Mr.. Crowell said It WIS cheaper for
he government to buy this field at
the oDt;cn price Of S597.940 and sell
!: a~ain. than TO pay the damage
c:a ;ll.s made against the government
IS ;ne ies;.lt OF tho building of the
caa;?. Ss.cr,.ia-2 rowe: said the de-
.,;. ..,:3?snt hat! contemplated retaining
,,.az.:}i;!rS; i'iei3 on org Is}and but
that the land would cost entirely too
much money The option pc:ce on
The neld was placed ct sl.55a.oo0, c"
nearly twice the cost CT the site Of a2y
of the 13 aviation centers to be PLY
chased. The government has spen.
$5,348,S9S on construction work g.
this field, o., considerably more than
had gone into any otilez, plants ex-
cept Langley Field. which is TO be
retained and Wilbur Wright Field.
Ohio, which is to be abandoned.
GloanirU STIFFNESS Gases