Evening star., 1935-08-18


Guard Of the District of Columbia |
nevertheless are trained soldiers and |
took their recent orders to proceed to |
Camp Simms, their rife range at Con- |
gress Heights, for their annual train |
ing philosophically. Their plans for
the divisional movement which have |
been in course of preparation for |
months were junked in few moments |
following ban on their entrance into |
ePnnsylvania by the health authorities
of the Keystone State, as a result OF
the infantile paralysis scare.
OF course, the State Of Pennsylvania |
was within her rights in barring the |
entrance of an armed force from an |
other jurisdiction. AS a matter of |
fact before militia troops move from |
one jurisdiction to another outside |
of their own State they have to obtain |
the permission of the governor Of the |
State into which they propose to
march in time Of peace. In war time,
when the forces were within the |
United States service this problem |
would not be faced.
Be that as it may, as soon as the |
request was received not to send the |
troops TO Pennsylvania, Col. John w. |
Oehmann, senior Guard officer here, |
and commander of the 12lst Regiment |
Of Engineers, Immediately set in mo-
ton machinery for setting up the |
camp at Congress Heights.
However. the troops were compelled |
to establish their camp just as they
were expected to do if they had gone
to Indiantown Gap. Pa. The tentage |
was stored in the buildings at the |
rife range and was gotten out by the |
troops upon arrival and their camp |
set up. There is to be no screened |
mess hall as they usually have in |
areas where permanent camps are
established. They will be just the
usual tent flies, hastily put in and in
condition to be moved on short notice |
Col. Oehmann early in the week
made a personal reconnaissance Of
the range area to map out plans for
the training Of the troops and while
it is expected that most of the opera
tons will be confined to the reserva-
ton, it is probably that there will be |
q road march or two during the en-
campment. Several years ago when
the troops camped at the same place |
they made a road march to Fort !
Washington and established q pup
camp for the night.
Although all Of the personnel were |
enthusiastic over their prospect Of
going to Pennsylvania, it was said by
the Guard officials that it is not ex-
pected that the sudden change will
have any effect on the morale of the |
troop. However, they do not like to
take their field training so close to
their home station.
Col. Oehmann is anxious for the
Washington public to visit the camp
and see the work of the citizen SOL
diers, and their proximity will make
it possible for many more people to
see them than would be possible if
they were in the field in Pennsyl-
vania. Camp will be open all of to-
day and tonight until the call to
quarters. at .10:45 O'Clock Taps will
be sounded at IL O'Clock. All visitors
must be out Of camp at the call TO
quarters, it was said.
All members of the State staff who
had been assigned to divisional troops
for the Pennsylvania manuevers have
had their orders revoked and they
will go to Camp Simms with the other
troops. On the other hand. it was
said that the Pennsylvania ban
against District and Virginia troops
did not apply to members of Maj. Gen.
Hilton A. Reckord's staff and that
these officers later may go to Penn
sylvanis to participate in the maneu-
vers. Among these are included Lieut.
Col. Peyton G. Nevitt, adjutant of
the 29th Division, and Maj Sidney
Morgan, inspector general of the local
Guard. who has been assigned to the
division staff in the intelligence Sec
ton.
The athletic section Of the local
Guard had to make hurried change
in its plans also. An elaborate pro-
gram of entertainment and sports had
been mapped out, to end in divisional
and corps -haI pionships, but these
now will have to be confined to the
local troops. However, there is enough
talent in the local Guard to furnish
entertainment and sports during the
entire time that the troops are in
camp.
Col. Oehmann spoke over the air
this week on the local Guard and its
plans. as well as its history
The training this Summer for the
l2lst Engineers, the 29th Division |
Special Troops, including the Division
Headquarters Detachment and the
29th Division Military Police Com
pany," he said, was to have been in
company with the entire 29th Division
at Mount Gretna, 20 miles east of |
Harrisburg, Pa. There they would
have combined with the 28th Division
of the National Guard and the 18th
Regular Army Brigade. There were
to have been some 10000 troops in
one area, constituting the Sd Corps,
all under the command Of Mai. Gen. |
Callan, whose regular command is
the Sd Corps Area, with headquarters
at Baltimore.
"Due to the sudden and drastic |
changes In our orders, occasioned by |
developments during the last few days |
in the orders and policies of certain |
State health departments, the units !
Of the District National Guard will |
not concentrate in the Mount Gretna |
area. The Infantry Brigade of Vir- !
ginia. the Field Artillery and the Sig
nal Corps likewise will not proceed to |
Pennsylvania, but will be stationed at
suitable sites in Virginia"
Recent orders OF the Virginia au-
thorities have sent the Infantry Bri-
gade Of that State to Virginia Beach
and the Artillery unit to Front Royal.
while there is some natural re-
gret," Col. Oehmann continued, "at
having to forego large-scale plans. the
sudden development creates an emer-
gency which tests In a very practical
manner the ability Of the Engineer
regiment and the special troops of
division headquarters under the COM
x.,rd ~ Mot yyyiJI3oyy, " Eov IN YTaaat