Evening star., 1924-08-11
ARREST D. c. GUARD
CAMP ABSENTEES
Several Hundred Missing
When Roll Call Is Taken at
Fort Humphreys, Va.
BY a StaR Correspondent.


CAMP OF THE. 121ST REGIMENT
OF ENGINEERS. NATIONAL GUARD
OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
FORT HUMPHREYS, Va, August IL
Military police, this afternoon were
securing Washington for members of
the 121st Regiment Of Engineers,
National Guard of the District of
Columbia, who failed to report at the
Armory yesterday In time to come to
the two weeks camp at this military
post.
A check-up of morning reports to-
day showed that there are several
hundred members Of the Organization,
who. APPARENTLY without any legit-
innate excuse, failed to report for the
duty required by law.
There is ample authority requiring
the careless members Of the guard
to perform this military duty, and
Col. John w. Oehmhnn commanding
the regiment, decided they should be
compelled to comply with the law.
There are in camp now, a number Of
men who were taken into custody
Saturday night, and early Sunday
morning, and it is the purpose of
Col. Oehmann not to show any par
tiality by allowing others to remain
away.
Some Exc1ses Legitimate.
In the rounding up of the men it
is not the purpose to take all into
custody, as the officers realize that
some of the enlisted personnel, who
failed to report for this camp, have
legitimate excuses for remaining
away. Some are needed at home for
the support of families and cannot
afford to give the time, while others
find it difficult to get away from their
employment without serious person.
al loss.
Each case will be handled on its
merits and where a man is found
derelict he will be taken into custody
by the military police and transported
to this fort, where he will be required
to put in the rest OF his military
duty.
Members Of the District organiza-
ton in camp here received their first
real test Of military discipline and rou-
tine when, early this morning, they were
turned unceremoniously out Of their
hunks at the first notes of reveille.
There was no opportunity for the
"I'll be up in a minute" which some
of them used with ease at home, for
the bugler's call was followed closely
by the gruff. hoarse adminition of the
World-War trained and seasoned top
sergeant to roll out for the morning
checkup. And they rolled out, too,
some of them with muscles a little
stiff from the march to the train
under the load of an Army rifle and
pack.
Troops Armed With Tools.
After breakfast, and without the
usual field calisthenics to timber them
up, the troops were given scythes,
rakes and other tools, to start a gen.
eral policing of the section of this
post allotted to them for quarters.
Under the general direction of the
medical officers, charged directly with
the duty of keeping the camp sani-
tary, the whole regiment, under a
heating early morning sun went
trimmed trees. dug drainage bitches
and sprinkled them with larvae
destroying disinfectants.
In the few hours before lunch the
troops had transformed the camp
around headquarters into very
slightly, healthful section. The quar-
ters are excellent. Barracks build
ings have been renovated for them,
hot and cold water showers installed
and real beds, with felt mattresses,
furnished to ease the aching muscles
of those men used to light Office work.
From 1880 until 1880 o'clock today
the men had no military duty. but at
the latter hour the recruits who are
getting their first taste Of life in the
military field will get out their rifles
and, under direction of the veteran
members of the guard, will be in
structed in aiming and sighting, pre-
paratory for going on the rifle range
for actual shooting later in the en-
campment.
This afternoon Col. Oehmann has
directed all the officers to assemble,
when he will make the assignments
as to instructors of the various
schools which are to be established,
and to instruct them in directing the
mems games, which are to be the fea-
ture of morning exercises each day.
A comprehensive schedule of train
ing has been mapped out by Col. Och
mann, and II will be, risidly adhered
(C!On finpAA -0n RaRe 1 N0lum1- Il ~