Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-06-15
SOUTHER FIELD
PURCHASE BY
U. S. IN PERIL
BY G.O.P.FICHT
Blow Aimed at Fort
Benning May Block
Plan Here.
CRISP AND OTHERS
FlCHl FOK CAMPS
Congressman Trying To
Have Transaction
Completed.

AS result or the 1ght inaugural
ed in congress Thursday and continu-
ed successfully Friday, the future of
Souther Field, Camp Gordon and Fort
Benning are endangered. While the
fight was aimed specifically at Fort
Bennng, it reaches the other named
camps, and was a political blow at the
administration and the South, where
many camps are located.
Specifically, the republicans have
Incorporated into the army appro-
priation bill proviso prohibiting the
secretary of war from acquiring real
estate by purchase or condemnation.
Although designed to stop the COM
pletion of Fort Benning, at Colum-
bus, Souther Field is involved for the
reason that the transaction with the
war department purchasing the field
has not yet been consummated, al
though being under way, and unless
completed before July /, which i
doubtful, the purchase would be
blocked indefinitely, should the pro-
vision become law.
Put Up Hard Fight.
Congressman Crisp and Wright
put up a bitter fight against the par
tisan move in the house, and Senators
Harris and Smith may be depended
upon to do their utmost in the SEN
ate to stop the scheme.
Replying to a telegram Saturday
asking whether Souther Field was
involved in the fight on Fort Ben
ming, Judge Crisp wired the Times
Recorder as follows:
Washington, June IA, 1919.
The Times Recorder, Americas,
Ga.
Judge Advocate General has
not yet approved title to Souther
Field. Am urging them to act
and think they will render opin-
ion in few days. If provision rel
ative to Fort Benning becomes
law before consummation of
Souther purchase it will be af-
fected. Bill must pass senate and
be signed by president before it
becomes law.
"CHARES R. CRISP"
Price is $4,000
Slowness in closing the purchase
by the government has resulted from
unavoidable delay at Souther Field
In furnishing necessary blue prints
and to correspondence required to
elucidate certain matters which were
not clear to those handling the trans
action here. The abstract was COM
pleted and forwarded to Washington
some time ago by G. R. Ellis. The
purchase price to the government was
$4,000.
Here is the text of the rider to the
appropriation bill as adopted by the
house by vote of $50 to II:
mo part of any of the appro-
priations made herein nor any
of the unexpended balances of
appropriation heretofore made
for the support and maintenance
of the army or the military es-
tablishment shall be expended
for the purchase of real estate,
Even Contracts Void.
Unless the senate should kill this
''rider" it becomes effective at the
beginning of the fiscal year, July /
Under the most liberal interpreta
tion it means that no purchase of real
estate for camps which has not been
completed by that time is valid, even
though the war department has ac-
tually contracted for the land.
Republicans of the military affairs
committee said it was designed to
stop such expenditures as those now
being made at Camp Benning, near
Columbus, and contended that strict
Interpretation of the amendment
means that no purchase made since
the signing of the armistice and
without specific authority are legal.