Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-01-10
FATE OF FLYING
FIELDS AWAITS
PEACE TREATY,
CRISP WRITES
Explains in Letter Why Cadets Wcre
Not Sent Here Instead of
Elsewhere.

That the fate of Souther Field along
with other flying fields, will remain
undecided by the war department un-
til the signing of peace is the belief
of Congressman Chas. r. Crisp ex-
pressed in letter to the Chamber, of
Commerce here in reply to letters and
kilograms sent him recently regard
ing the future of the post. He declares
that if those camps are selected to be
permannt which best suit the pur-
poses of the government he is sure
Souther Field will be retained. He
Fecites the activities he is conducting
in Washington in behalf of Souther
Field among officials who may have
something to say about the selection
of camps to be maintained. and states
that Senator Hoke Smith and Colonel
]. w Furlow are also doing all in
their power for the interests of Amer
icus and the camp
The following portions of his letter
explain something of the task faced
by congress and the war department in
fixing policy for the future, and also
why Souther Field was not retained as
Zane of the seven camps left in full op-
GRAFTON in the United States:
THE War Department is anxious
to retain all aviation and cantonment
sites. but / do not believe Congress
will finally authorize retention of that
many, for it is unnecessary. Each
member of Congress is daily receiving
many letters from wives and mothers.
urging that their sons be discharged
from the military service, since the
war is over. Congress is insisting
and urging upon the War Department
to reduce forces to a peace basis. l
am sure our military establishment
will be much larger than it was be-
fore we entered the war but in my
judgment. we will not need all of the
sundry camps now used by the gov
ernment. To use them would place
millions Of dollars of unnecessary
burden upon the people. However, a
number of these sites will be retained,
and ] am hoping that in their select
ton, those best suited for the use of
the government will be retained If
this is done, ! feel sure Souther will
be retained.
Since writing you before, I am ad-
vised that by the first of February the
Signal Corps expects to only have five
camps in full operation. The only
one in our immediate neighborhood is
at Arcadia, Florida, and this is an
advanced camp. The government also
considered that they could buy the
camp sites for $4,000. Col M f.
Davis, executive officer of the Signal
corps, told me they were delighted
with Souther Field, an dthe work
done there. and when they received
orders to reduce they intended to send
cadets from Taylor and another field
to Souther. to finish their training.
That, on checking up the cadets at
Souther and Taylor and the other
field didn't furnish sufficient num-
Der to make it economical to continue
Souther. That the Arcadia camp was
and advanced one and had to be re-
tanned, and consequently the cadets
at Souther and these other camps were
sent to Arcadia,
Everything as to the permanent
military policy of the country in the
future is chaotic here. i do not be-
lieve anything definite will be done
until after the peace conference, and
the question of armament of the va
rious countries has been decided"
His letter closes with this
paragraph:
Il can assure you that the record |
of Souther camp and the wishes of |
the local people for its retention will |
be kept constantly before the proper
officials by myself, and other friends /
here, and we will leave nothing un-
done that we can do, 10 get success
"a