The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1942-01-08
TRUCE STILL STANDS BUT
CONTRACT NOT CANCELLED
White Oak Trees Will Not Be
Cut If Agreement to Per-
petuate Them Is Reached
By Parties

The thirty-day truce on the cutting
of white oak trees in Mountain Lake
Park still stands but no contract has
been cancelled and unless an agree
ment is reached between the Defend
ers of the Faith, religious organ
| ization, or it's representative, and the
people of Mt. Lake Park to per-
petuate the trees, the axes will again
ring there when the truce expires.
Such appeared to be the status of
the situation at Oaklands neighbNr-
ing town this morning Many people
seem to agree that the white oaks of
the Park should be spared, but the
peace treaty remains unsigned.
H. D. Lollar, general manager of
the Oakland Timber Corporation said
he was surprised by reports that Miss
Oslo England, of Kissimee, Fla.
i leader of the Defenders of the Faith
had cancelled the deal inasmuch as
| the timber company has bought and
paid for between 500 and 1000 trees
on the 800-acre tract which was
/ originally founded as religious re-
sort.
Lollar said he was willing to for
get all about the deal if it were
proved that the defenders of the
! white oaks sincerely meant to per
petuate the trees. But the cancella-
ton right belongs to the lumber COM
pany, and he said that he had re-
ceived no word from Miss England OF
her representatives.
The case of the celebrated oaks has
many angles. Mr.. Lollar declared he
had entered into contract with Miss
England for the trees, since it was
her purpose to sell, and that he woulC
continue to cut if there was any
likelihood of them being sold to any
other person for commercial reasons
! About 200 trees in one section OF
the Park have been cut and the act
caused a storm of protest from resi-.
dents of the Park, because they as
serted it would ruin the beauty OF
! the summer resort. Others protested
they learned that the trees were to be
made into whiskey barrels.
Miss England informed a news
paper reporter that she had cancelled
/ the deal but said she did not believe
published reports that the oaks were
to be used to make whiskey barre
slaves. Lollar said that the white
oaks were being made into 34-incf
utility slaves which can be used fol-
food, syrups, medicine or whlskey
Miss England also said that her or
ganization had the approval of the
Maryland State Forester in selling the
trees, but Mayor C. Oscar Hall, Of
the Park, quoted H. c. Buckingham
state forest warden for this area as
telling the City Council of the ParE
that he had given no approval OF the
deal, in fact knew nothing of the sale
until chopping started.
! Mr.. Lollar stated yesterday thai
there was no need for anyone to &C
to the State Forestry Department, tc
! Mayor Hall or anyone else to get per
mission to cut trees, that it was en-
tirely an agreement between the Tim
Der Corporation and Miss England
He added, however, that Miss Eng
lands representative had been care
full in marking the trees which were
to be cut so that only the "diebacks'
were being used. Mayor Hall STATED
/ however that some of the largest anC
most beautiful white oaks had beer
chopped.
Miss England said in announcing
her cancellation, "If our sincerity Is
questioned, VIC need only to point tC
the fact that a brewery offered us
$4,000 for a crystal spring we owl
at Mountain Lake We suspected ant
learned that the brewery wanted tC
use the water in the manufacture OF
beer and we unhesitatingly and unani
mously declined the offer"
A county law prohibits the manu-
facture of beer in this county.
Just three things seemed sure to-
day. The thirty-day truce which viii
not expire until January 20, is still
in force; that no contract has yet
been cancelled; but that the contract
will be scrapped if Miss England OF
her representative reaches an agree
ment with the Mayor and City Coun
ell and people of Mt. Lake Park"
"My promise to halt the cutting OF
trees for thirty days was made il
good faith with the people of Mt. Lake
Park, and want to cooperate will
them in any way | can" concluded
Mr.. Lollar.