Evening star., 1942-10-14
Land Seizures
Work Hardship,
House Is Told
Maryland Owners
Made to Suffer,
Sosscer Says
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

VAAA L AAAANANADAs
A protest that undue hardship"
has been inflicted on residents Of
nearby Maryland due to the seizure
Of their land by the Government for
purposes was voiced in the
House today by Representative
Democrat, of Maryland.
He charged that the residents had
not been given reasonable time to
relocate, had been forced summarily
to liquidate their businesses, were
not granted priorities on supplies
necessary to fix other places into
which they might move and had to
wait for some time-even up to a
year-for their money, although
they might be without funds to
move from long established homes.
Mr.. Sasscer mentioned specifically
the taking of 5000 acres in st.
Marys County, large area in CAL
vert County, and the Camp Springs
Meadows Airport which is now being
taken in Prince Georges County. He
expressed the hope that in future
property seizures 'the War and Navy
Departments will, consistent with
the war effort. give all possible
notice to those who must yield their
properties for the public welfare"
Speedy Settlements Asked.
He also urged that "a sufficient
price be paid to enable them to go
out in the present market and re-
establish homes commensurate with
what they give up for the public
safety" He urged that "a settle
ment with those whose properties
have been taken will be made as
speedily as possible, and in the event
agreement as to price cannot be
reached between the Government
and property owners, and condem-
nation is necessary, that a large per-
centage of fair value of the prop
erty will be paid so that they may
not be precluded from exercising
their constitutional right of having
jury in the Federal courts fix the
value"
He also argued that cooperation
in the way of priorities should be
afforded those forced to vacate.
Mr.. Sasscer emphasized that his
constituents do not question the
necessity for establishing such
training centers or air bases. and
that they are thoroughly patri-
otic and fully cooperative. There
is, however. he said, "a prevailing
and general feeling among these
people that undue hardship is being
worked on them, not in the taking
of the land. but in the manner in
which it was taken"
Property Owners Kept Ignorant.
He said that for nearly year sur
veying parties had been in the Camp
dows Airport area. and
that property owners and he him.
self had several times attempted to
ascertain whether or not the land
would be taken, in order that the
people affected might be able to
make proper plans for readjust-
ment." They were told. he said, that
nothing definite had been decided"
and that the presence of survey
ing party had no definite signifl-
canoe" Then at Camp Springs he
told his House colleagues without
any advance notice whatever. dec
laration of taking. coupled with
notification to vacate within 20 days,
we're served upon the people in an
area embracing pproximately
5000 acres" Practically overnight
tractors were sent in. he said. bull
dozer machines began leveling off
the ground and dismantling Of
buildings started.
The War Department must have
known for months prior to the day
of notification to occupants, he ar
gued, otherwise contracts could not
have been entered into so that sub
contractors could move in. Among
the hardships which might have been
ameliorated, he said. were forcing
farmers to get rid of their stock and
implements, and poultrymen their
laying hens-"almost overnight" He
also pointed out that many persons
who had established homes in this
area, could not purchase new homes
because they had not been paid for
the old homes they were forced to
vacate.
Policy Chance Sought.
Mr.. Sasscer also said that the War
Production Board had ruled that no
special consideration would be given
applicants for priorities to rebuild
or replace their properties which
were taken.
The WPB told him, he added, that
it did not recognize ANY moral OBJ
legation" in this matter. He ex-
pressed the hope that this policy
would be changed, or the people
forced out of their homes will be
prohibited from re-establishing
themselves"
He said that in such an event
Congress should act-"if agencies in
the use of extraordinary emergency
powers exercise that delegated au-
thority without regard to the crea-
ton of avoidable hardship" Con-
gress. he said, should initiate some
investigation with the view of ef-
fecting curb of unnecessarily harsh
use OF necessary power"