New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
round Defective Buildings
And Lack of Guns at CAMPS
Representative Francis Tells What He Saw in Five
Iantonments; Relations With the War DEPART
ment Are Unsatisfactory, He Asserts

WASHINGTON, Jan, 26. Fol
9o'cang Is the full tert of a speech o.,
conditions IN the camps, delivered il,
tue House Thursday dy Represent
atsre George B. Froncis, Of the 1871
(Ne'o York; District:
Mr.. Chairman: 1t is most timely
ut this point in our session to bring
TO the attention Of Congress all nccu-
rate testimony available concerning
conditions in our great National Army
camps. We have all had reports from
our young constituents concerning the
treatment they have received, and the
revelations in the testimony before the
Senate Military Committee have
Mt home to US a realization that
all has not been going we'll.
with desire to inform myself AZ
20 conditions on the ground I took
time during the last few days to visit
tive OF our camps, and wish to submit
my observations and conclusions for
the information of this body
CAMP DEVENS
camp Devens is ou-' most northcrly
camp. AS you approach it your worst
fears, based upon frequent rumors of
the extraordinary cold weather pre-
valling at that spot, seem about to be
entirely fulfilled. 1t is complete snow
scene. The fields are white, the roads
and drill grounds are white, the roofs
and everything but the four walls of
the buildings. Everything is covered
with foot Of snow.
"The mistake of putting a perma-
nent training camp so far north is
manifest. But, great as was tho mis-
take. the rigors of the situation have
to considerable degree been overcome
by the extraordinary industry of those
assigned to the place.
There arc several commendablc
features about this camp. Though it
was placed on rough and hilly site
months of work have overcome the
handicap, and there are now many ex-
cellent level drill grounds. Though it
is completely arranged, host of in
tclligent signs make travelling about
easy. 1t is particularly characte rstc
of this camp that signs and directions
everywhere. indoors and out, make
duties clear and identification simple
Other camps might initiate this feature
with profit
There is also large and fully
equipped motor truck, full Of all con.
ceivable shoe making and repairing
machinery, which operates under its
own power, and can take care of the
footwear of an entire division. This is
an important feature anc Is worth the
serious attention of the War Depart
ment.
Air Of Interest
And Activity
"But what stands out preeminent at
this camp is the general air Of inter
est and activity. Every one is doing
something. Numerous construction
and repair tasks are under way. The
vast blanket of snow is not permitted d
to be an obstacle. The men are we'll
clothed and fed and their quarters are
warm and comfortable.
"Much. however, remains to be done
Owing to the faulty location many
removed in the spring. The garrison
shoes which have been issued to the
men have not been successful, and have
| broken down after brief usage.
Even after long urging the War De-
partment has not Yet sent sufficient
supply of large size overcoats. There
is. however, an oversupply of small
coats. One is led to believe that there
must be a chart of sizes of overcoats
for division in Washington, and that
the failure Of the boys at camp to re-
spond to the sizes printed on the chart
is considered such a violation of regu-
lations that the boys must be made to
suffer
'1n particular, there is an inexcus-
able scarcity Of school buildings. Many
special schools of instruction in gun
merry, range finding, bombing and SINH
lar work are In operation, but there is
no place to hold them except out OF
doors on the snow or in the barracks
ment this highly necessary military
instruction is handicapped.
"At the hospital. where there arc
also several large classes, there are
neither sufficient rooms for teaching
nor adequate quarters to house those
who are temporarily there or the
nurses.
"In the field of ordnance there is q
painful scarcity Of equipment. There
are enough horses, but not enough sad.
dies, brides or halters. The horses
we're rescued from a stable which upor
the first thaw left them standing in q
foot of water.
CAS- for artillery, saw at least fifty
wooden guns mounted on carriage
wheels and many more similar make
shift limbers. There was one woodel
model of three-inch field piece,
clever imitation and typical of tho
Yankee ingenuity displayed at the
camp. But what commentary on the
efficiency of our War Department tc
have to construct wooden gun after
we have been at war nearly 8 year
There should be seventy-two field gun:
and howitzers at the camp, but there
are less than a dozen old-fashionet
pieces. There should have been a
least one modern gun for instruction.
Has No Modern