The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-30
PLAY POLO GAME,
 C[OE CONSEN NT|NG
Safety Commissioner Fails To Stop Match-Robert-
 son Makes Statement

blrmingham's first polo game was played as scheduled Sunday after noon at Roberts field despite an noulced intention of Commissioner w. B. Cloe to prohibit the exhibition because he thought 1t was in viola ton of the Sunday closing law.
 According to Col. l.. O. Matthews, regular army, officer among those promoting the match for the I 14th' OC,bserNation Squadron's benefit Mir Cioe agreed Sunday not to prevent playing of the game.
 To clarify the situation and adjust any differences which may have arlsen during the discussion Satur- day night and Sunday. Capt w.. V. Al. Robertson, Jr... ranking officer of the squadron. issued the following statement Sunday night:
 The discussion which arose in connection with the polo exhibition at Roberts field Sunday afternoon appears to have arisen through mis- understanding of the nature of the occasion. To clarify the situation and to save Mir Cloe any embarrass- ment that he may suffer. the Bir- mingham Flying club and the 114th Observation Squadron wish to make an explanation.
 "The 114th Observation Squadron. the Birmingham Sabres and all of the other units of the national guard
 
 laws, not to violate them in letter or in spirit. General Pershing made it very plain in his speech here just what these units are. They are part of the national army. They are the secondary line of defense in time of war. General Pershing failed to state, however, that they are several degrees removed from the national eXchequer.
 The Birmingham Flying club, which is composed of eX-service men conscious of their civic and national cuties, is commercial organi- zation. Its sole function Is to pro- mote flying and to make up for the distant kinship of the 114th Squadron to Uncle Sans money bag. It has already raised many of the thou sands of dollars necessary to put the squadron on it's feet, and in view of the magnificent response of the citi- zens of Birmin gham 1t has high hopes of raising the remaining S10.000 needed to build the adminis tration building within the next few weeks.
 Exhibition By Orders.
 The squadron gives a flying eXhi- bition every Sunday afternoon under the orders of the adjutant general This exhibition is part of the squad- ron work and as this is Birminghams squadron, it's citizens are always well come to attend the afternoons flying. The only difference between the pro- gram each week and the program this week was that a polo exhibition was added to the menu and the pub lie was asked further to cooperate in finishing up the squadron budget by making a free will offering.
 "The threatening clouds of disap- proval. the downpour of public pro- test at Mir. Cloe's temporary ruling, tl, tcI, f,l1< caused by the mistaken thought that this was a commercial undertaking for profit. Mir. Cloe did not order me to desist in tEe squadron maneuvers. but he did state to one of the pro meters of the event that there would be no flying exhibition. He referred to a commercial exhibition for profit. We referred to our regular military work
 MT. Cloe has always been sympa- thetic with the herculean work of fixing this squadron among Birming- hams assets. We do not wish to ap- pear ungrateful by embarrassing him We are in sympathy with the fulfillment7of his sworn duty to up hold the law Ifenee Ethis statement. We are glad to state that all differ ences have been adjusted"
 Before the game Sunday afternoon Mir. Cloe took personal exception to references made to him in newspaper stories regarding the situation which had arisen through his announced in- tention of blocking the contest. He was assured that no personal slight was intended, but that all comment was occasioned solely by his official conduct. In fact, his spirit Tn permit ting the match to go through. en- abling the Camp Mcclellan team to make the trip without financial loss was commended at the field Sunday.