The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1948-08-05
Guard Roundup


Hamill to either appear and face tn,
proper consequences Of his apparent
dereiiction of duty or to resign
TAMIL announced he would tender hi,
resignation Immediately. The resig.
nation was received in headquartcr.
on Tuesday.
Most of those taken to camp said
they had been informed when tho
National Guard unit was organized
that camp would not be compulsory.
Many of the Oakland guardsmen. oper-
ate their own businesses on are en-
pIoyed in businesses directly affected
by the busy season, and they claimed
attendance at guard camp works a
definite hardship ON them.
State Senator Lawrence NJ. Fralev
termed the whole affair CLEARLY a
misunderstanding" Men in the Oak
land unit, he explained, were perfectly
sincere in believing they did not have
to go to camp when attendance would
work hardship. and declared that
Gen. Purnell went off "half-cocked"
in the matter which the senator as
serted could have been settled salts
factorily had Oakland authorities been
contacted
The state senator said the "high
handed" action during church time
created quite stir in Oakland and
that the citizens did not like the way
the whole matter was handled.
Expressing regret at the incident
Fraley said the whole matter could
have been Strengthened out by one
man if the National Guard had sent
an officer to check on the prepa-
rations the recently organized unit
was making.
The Mt. Top Chamber of Commerce
also protested the action of the Mary
land Guard in a telegram sent to
Governor Lane, stated the members
felt the action in removing, under ar
rest, members of the local guard was
not warranted and that it had re-
suited in embarrassment to the men
involved and reflected unfavorably on
this area.
General Purnell said he realized the
Oakland unit had been organized only
a short time and its locality at the
far western end of the state per-
mitted only Limited supervision from
Guard headquarters in Baltimore"
But he pointed out that present con-
ditions do not permit any light regard
for military obligations"
At Camp Richie a national guard
beard of inquiry on Monday permitted
six guardsmen to return to their
homes but others were ordered to re-
main for the camp. Those arriving in
Oakland Monday evening included
Eugene Liller, Edgewood Bowen, Eu-
gene johnson, Carlton limbaugh,
James Foy and a Wilt boy Herman
Kemphfer, who had applied for an
honorable discharge two months ago,
was allowed to withdraw. The Gener-
al said none Of those remaining
would be punished.
Lieut.. Hamill defended the position
he had taken by declaring I'VE knew
after the last drill session that the
majority of the company would not
be able to attend camp, and if they
superior officers) had asked the add
vance party that arrived in camp last
Wednesday they would have been so
When Col Hewitt, battalion COM
mander, visited Oakland several
months ago on his first and only in
spection, Hamill said, he advised the
officer then that he doubted if he
could attend camp and also advised
him that it was highly probable that
many Of the men would find it i'm
possible to attend "Col. Hewitt told
me them" Hamill declared, eff you
have sufficient reason you don't have
to attend. It's not compulsory" Ham
i'll, an attorney said he had cases to
be filed in court and that since his
father was i'll that he had a good deal
of business to look after.
Lieut.. Hamill also pointed out that
the battalion colonel is also absent
from the training period, saying he
understood "Col. Hewitt is in Eng
land playing polo with an Olympic
team. That may be important to him
but our homes and businesses are i'm
portant to us"
Hamill said he was told officers at
camp were threatening the company
personnel by telling them they'll never
get an armory in Oakland now unless
they toe the mark 100 percent. But
Senator Fraley said he did not believe
the misunderstanding would leopard
ize the future of the Oakland unit
which has had an attendance average
of 80 percent or better. The unit has
had a good record from the start, he
emphasized.
With the resignation OF Lieut.. Ham
I'll tho 1,pit iS now headed bv lent