The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-06
END FOR FUNSTON
War Department Issues Orders
Abandoning Camp.
Says Demands of Cavalry
School at Fort Riley Reason.
KANSAS SENATORS PROTEST
Conference Today With General
March May Decide.
A Congressional Investigation
May Be Ordered by Anthony.

Washington, Dec. 6.-Orders have
been issued by the war department
which mean the practical abandon7
ment Of Camp Funston, tho denial has
been made at the war department that
Camp Funston was to be completely.
abandoned following the removal of
the Seventh division and other. units
already under orders to other camps
1t was stated, however, that the
camp-a at Funston would be linked up
with Fort Riley and turned over to
that post for use as part of the cav
airy school.
Necessarily, it was said. this would
greatly curtail the number of the men
that would be stationed at the Kansas
post and it would not bear the army
Importance it has in the past of being
division headquarters. Part of the
cantonment would be closed cut.
Kansas Senators Protest.
Senator Curtis and Representative
James Strong called on the chief OF
staff to protest against the order tax
ing the division away from Funston,
asking why the army suddenly was to
change its plans regarding the Kansas
cantonment and what troops, If any,
additional would be sent to replace
those. ordered away. They got little
satisfaction.
Senator Capper also took the matter
UP with the department with about
the same results.
AS Chief of Staff March was away
for the day. Senator Curtis arranged
another meeting for this morning,
when it is expected the Kansans will
be told just what is to happen to Fun
ston and what may be expected.
Under orders already sent to Fun
ston. the Seventh division. less the
Eighth field artillery and Company A,
32S battalion tank corps, is to pro-
coed to Camp Meade. Md The field
artillery is to go to Hawaii and the
tank unit to Camp Pike.
Want Orders Held Up.
Senator Curtis asked that the order
be rescinded, or at least held up until
there could be a further hearing upon
it. Officials of the war department
said there was not chance of the or
der being rescinded and said there was
no use to hold it up pending hearing,
as it would not be changed: :.
Asked the reason for taking the di-
visional headquarters away from Fun
ston, the Kansans were told that there
was not room at Fort Riley and Fun
ston for the cavalry school and a divi-
sion, too.
Cannot See Reason,
Kansans said they could see no real
explanation in this, as during the war
Fort Riley and Funston together ham
died far more men without crowding
than would be involved in continuing
the cavalry school at Riley and the
division at Funston. The war depart
ment said the cavalry school needed
more room and the logical thing was
to move the division to other camps
and give the cavalry what it needed OF
Funston. Kansans said it looked ike
| a scheme to abandon Funston.
| Kansas members of congress say
| they intend to press their protests to
| the limit and find out what was be-
hind the move and get the plan
changed, if possible. Some of them
limited they believed politics was be-
hind the orders+a desire to get some
of the southern camps in larger use
before the new Republican administra-
Ition came in, when the question or To-
cation of camps will get another over
hauling.