Evening star., 1935-08-12
PARALYSIS SCARE
MAY SEND CAPITAL
GUARD TO CASCADE
Movement Starts Saturday
if PennsyIvania's Order Is
/ Not ReScinded.
HARRISBURG TARGET
OF PLEAS BY OFFICERS
Only II Active Poliomelitis Cases
in District at Present,
Rutland Reveals.

The District National Guard, barred
from Pennsylvania by health authori-
ties of that State, because of the in
fantile paralysis scare, will hold its
encampment beginning Saturday at
Cascade. Md, unless the Pennsylvania
ban is lifted.
Meanwhile District officials this
morning sent strong protests to Penn
sylvania. Its health authorities Sat-
urday notified both Virginia and the
District that their National Guard
contingents would not be permitted
to enter the State because Of infantile
paralysis in this vicinity.
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen dis
patched telegram to Gov George H.
Earle of Pennsylvania, urging him to
reScind the order, and at the same
time District Health Officer George
C. Rutland assured Dr. Edith Mac
Bride-Dexter that there is no ex-
cessive prevalence" of the disease in
the District.
In view Of continuing normal
movement of civilian and business
traffic between Pennsylvania and the
District of Columbia, We feel barring
solely cur National Guardsmen must
be based on erroneous information
on health conditions here" Commits
sioner Hazen wired Gov. Earle.
Strongly urge removal of ban as un-
necessary and unfair to District of
Columbia"
DR.. Rutland informed DR.. Mac
ide-DeXter that there have been %
cases of poliomyelitis, as the disease is
technically known, here since the be-
ginning of the year. of them nom
resident. There are II active cases
in the District at present, he stated
in the telegram.
The decision to send the District
National Guard to Cascade, Nd. If
the barrier against their entrance into
Pennsylvania is not removed was made
by Col John w. Oehmann. COM
mander of the 12lst Engineers and
senior officer in the District. He said
Maj. Gen. Milton A. Rockford, 29th
Division commander and adjutant
general for Maryland. offered the use
If Camp Albert c. Ritchie, located at
Cascade.
Meanwhile no official announce
ment concerning the change Of plans
was forthcoming from either Gen.
Reckord or Sd Corps Area headquar-
ters in Baltimore.
The possibility that Virginia Guards
men, who were to have encamped
/ af
Gretna, Pa, in connection with the
lst Army meaneuvers which will be
held throughout Pennsylvania. New
York and Massachusetts. also might
go TO Cascade was discussed here.
Gen. Reckord was quoted as saying
he would have no objection to the
use of the camp by Virginia troops
but that final decision must be made
| by Adjt. Gen. F. Gardner Waller of
| Virginia. who today was in Harris
burg. Pa. comforting with Pennsyl-
vania authorities.
National Guard officials said the
war games" could proceed even
though Virginia and District troops
are not encamped with the remainder
OF Ine 50 corps.
If the District troops go to Camp
Ritchie they will begin moving Satur-
day morning. Col. Oehman stated. As
many men and as much baggage as
possible will be moved by truck that
day, and the rest will complete the
movement Sunday morning. For the
first time, trucks will be used instead
of trains
Little Routine Change Expected.
For several years the Summer en-
campment OF the local Guardsmen ha
been held at Cascade, so that train
ing schedules will have to be revise
but slightly as result of the change.
To minimize the infantile paralysis
danger Dr. Rutland called attention
to both tuberculosis and spinal men
ingitis as grounds for considerable
more concern in the District than it.
He emphatically declared, however,
I that there is no meningitis epidemic
| and no sudden increase in tubercu-
| loSiS.
There are simply more cases here
than we like to see and we are taking
steps to control them" he said.
Since January there have been
| 1876 cases of spinal meningitis, of
which 90 resulted fatally Emergency
relief patients afford particularly dan
gerous conditions for the spread of
this disease. he said.