The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-03-25
In the List of Those to Be Ac-
quired and Retained is Camp
Jackson at Columbia.
ALSO OTHERS IN SOUTH
Government Will Also Buy 13
Aviation Centers, With Those
Already Acquired Making
Total of 19 Fields.

Washington, March 25.-DecisionI
of the war department to proceed
with the purchase of sites of 15 army
camps and 13 balloon and flying
fields over the country was an
nounced by Acting Secretary Crow
ell. Less than $15.000,000 will be-
involved. Mr.. Crowell said, and it
will not be necessary to await ac-
ton by congress as the department
now has the necessary funds.
With these purchases Completed
the army will have 80 training
camps, including the original 16
cantonments constructed for the
training Of the national army, and
19 aviation centers, most of which
will be in the southeastern states,
Texas and California. The few fields
to be retained in the north will be
regarded as summer flying centers
only.
Many Camps to Go.
Twenty-seven camps and 10 avia-
tion fields will be abandoned. Or
ders already have gone out for the
abandonment OF 20 of the camps
including nearly all of the national
guard training centers set up after
the United States declared war on
Germany. Construction work on
the 27 camps. according to war de-
partment figures, represents a cost
OF approximately $110,O00.00O, of
which $43.000.0OO was spent on the
four embarkation cantonments-
Mills. N. Y. and Merritt, N. j.. and
Stuart and Hill. Newport News.
Approximately $3.50, 100000 has
been spent in construction work on
the Is cantonments to be bought and
the q now owned and IL was large
ly because OF the sum involved the
department decided to go ahead
with the purchase. Most OF the 80
camps are being used as demobiliza-
tion centers, but no definite plans
for their employment after the war
army is disbanded have been evolv-
ed. 1t was explained the whole
problem of the future use OF the
camps depended upon the nations
military policy and no conclusion as
to that could be reached until the
peace conference at Paris had rem
dered its decision as to world dis
armament.
Announcement already has been
made that only two flying fields act
ually would be used in training army
aviators in peace time and others
purchased or now owned would be-
hand or under contract. Location
OF the flying centers to be retained
shows plan % have three general
training centers, one In the far west,
one in the southwestern part OF the
country and one in the southeast.
with the different fields In each sec
ton close. enough together so ele-
mentary and advanced training will
be provided within reasonable
area. Total expenditures on the 10
flying and balloon fields to be re-
tanned represented about 100000
900.
To Buy and Sell SEWER.
Besides the ffleds to be bought for
military purposes. one other, Chap
man field, Florida. also will be pur-
chased "for business reasons and
subsequently sold. The same pro-
cedure VIII be followed in the case
OF Camp Sewer. s, c.. which was
used as a national guard training
center. Mr.. Crowell said 1t was
cheaper for the government to buy
this field at the option price Of
$597,s40 and sell II again than to
pay the damage claims made against
the government as the result Of
building of the camp.
Secretary Crowell said the de-
partment had contemplated retaining
HazeIhurst field. on Long Island. but
that the land would cost entirely
too much money. The option price
on the field was placed at $1.550,-
600, or nearly twice the cost OF the
site of any of the 13 aviation CEN
4ers to be purchased. The govern
n