The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-24

1nSIllS IneSe SOlu1erS cOHlpIdln that at the Petit Rouget, commonly known to the men as the Bastile, in Paris, the whole atmosphere and spirit of the institution, as evidenced by the profanity, vulgar and obscene epithets used against the prisoners. appeared to be a spirit of intense ha-
 tired and hostility against the National Guard.
 Repeated statements were made to
 these men by guards, who claim to
 be regulars, reflecting upon the Ma tionaI Guard as an institution and as a fighting organization. While no
 attempt is made to quote exactly the phraseolOgy used the following in cludes substantially some of the eX- pressions employed: God damn National Guard The 27th and 3Oth Divisions are no damned good and
 that is the reason they were sent up with the British etc. This spirit is so entirely cut of harmony with gem
 eraI orders of the A. E. F. that it
 Is not understood by investigating of- fcers in command
 "Complaints also were made by the
 men questioned on the score of over- crowding, unSanitary conditions, fail- ure to provide either time or facilities to wash, and continual insults by tho guards. These conditions were a subject of a previous investigation by the inspector of this division prior to
 Sept. 1, and from the statements of these men there appears to be little improvement in conditions during that time, although the matter was off,
 cially called to the attention of su- perior headquarters.
 ''3. The principal point, however, which the Investigating officers desire to call to the attention of the com manding General, so that imm ediate remedial action can be had, is the condition of Prison Camp 2, where the statements made by these soldiers in- dicate a condition exists rtvaling that of Siberian prison camps, and much worse than conditions which existed in German prisoner of war cages It should be borne in mind that these prisoners are in the main soldiers from the combat divisions, who are
 men above average intelligence and who are in the main perhaps techni- cally guilty of absence without leave. Both of the Investigating officers be- lieve absolutely and in toto the state ments made to them by the soldiers That such brutality ani3 inhuman treatment can exist in any institution under the control of Americans is un- believable, but the evidence is over ,whelming.
 A. The manner in which the per sona1 property of these men was taken from them and never returne ed seems trivial after a recital of the more important facts in the case, but i 1t is a matter of vital importance to | the soldiers concerned. Attention IS invited to the fact that not only off, cial declarations and property of con- sid eral11a v3111a from these soldiers, but articles of great sentimental value, such as a soldiers crucifix, the photograph of | his mother, the photograph of his sweetheart, and articles that could be of no value to the person in whose hands they finally came, were confis- cated.
 5. Many incidents brought to the attention of the Investigating off, i cers by these soldiers were omitted | from the sworn statements, including 2 | one tale of an American prisoner of war, who returned to Paris after | eight months in a German prison ! camp, and was placed in arrest by l the military police because he was | not supplied with travel orders. "6. Another phase of the situation | which has been omitted from the re- | cord for obvious reasons is the fact 1 that these men are drilled in front of l the nluzzles of machine guns and au-
 tomatic rifles, a precaution which
 might be justified with condemned | nlurd but is hardly to be eX-
 pected in the American army as part | of the routine of an ordinary camp | of detention.
 "7. The men are also isolated from l the outside world and are not allowed ! n mi ta ,4yitT their fria ds ar | superior officers. It was stated by | many of the men that many of the l 18th Division, which had fought side by side with the 27th Division during the entire war, are still incarcerated
 in this prison farm, and have sent
 out letters appealing to their com
 panies and regimental commanders l for assistance. The only way In l which they have been able to get this l mail out was to se4d 1t by prisoners
 leaving the farm.
 "S. The investigating officers are
 both men. who have been familiar ! with penal conditions in New York
 for many years, and are convinced
 that the statements of all these men ] are true, and that a condition exists on this farm which would not be
 tolerated for a single instant in any | institution under control of civil au- l thorities.
 "J. MATHEW WAINWRIGHT, 'Lieutenant-Colone I. G. D. SDiyision Inspector.
 "J. LESLIE KINCA1D,
 | Lfeutenant-Colonel, Judge Advocate.
 First Endorsement.
 | Headquarters 27th Division, Amer | fcan Expeditionary Force, December
 as. 1918.
 | "To the Adjutant General, Ameri-
 can Expeditionary Force, France. 1 "1-Under date Of Sept. 12, 1918, l | forwarded complaints of similar char
 acter in relation to the treatment
 given some non-commissioned officers
 of this division. by the military au-
 thorities in Paris The facts report
 ed by these non-oommisstoned ofi-
 cers were of such character, that l
 requested the matter to be brought | to the attention of the Commander
 in-Chief. No information has been
 received of any action taken in re1a-
 ton thereto. The foregoing repor
 of the Division Inspector and the TyJd@a Adyeoafe 5Uho fpV0Stfgdted pau