The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-18
OWEN FINDS BREST
CONDITIONS SERIOUS
Senator Returns From Study
Of Embarkation Camps
in France.
QUICK ACTION rs NEEDED
Convalescents Especially Suf-
fer From Overcrowding
and Lack Of Care.


sanitary conditions at Brest, the CHER
debarkation point for American SOL
diers in France, have been anonymous
because they have come from doughooys'
who did not want their names mentioned
fearing they might be disciplined. Some
OF the complainants were suspected nj
first Of being mere GROWERS. but IL was
later apparent that Brest has been IN
pretty bad shape and that the soldiers
especially the convalescent and III. nave
undergone much suffering that shoul
have been guarded against. That Is tho
opinion OF United States Senator Robert
l.. Owen OF Oklahoma and his wife. In
yesterday on the steamship ROTTERDAM.
who have been making a study or the
American debarkation camps and who
have no reason to be anonymous.
Senator Owen said he was dlsinclined
70 put any blame on the officers at Brest,
as they were doing their best In the
circumstances to remedy the bad con-
ditions.
dramatically" the Senator said,
"Brest has been very bad recently.
roticed that tho chief difficulties were
the crowding OF soldiers and a shortage
Of ships to take them away. Some OF
the men are suffering from melancholia,
due in part to inconsistencies.
while I was there one Respondent
Major committed suicide. I talked with
the officers and men and they adIniH"N
that the place had been crowded b
cause CT the expectation OF getting more
ships to take the soldiers home.
wild to Return TO America.
THE proper thing TO do. It seems to
me. is not to allow congestion at
Brest. to keep only as many men there
as can be comfortably taken care OF.
The men are wild to return to America"
Mrs owen. who spoke in an indignant
tone and was much affected, interrupted
her husband to say:
"Brest Is horrible place. not At for
cattle to live in. have seen men stand
ing In line in pouring rain and ankle
deep in mud waiting for their food. One
OF the troubles over there is the ordering
| OF men from place to place while some
OF them are not In nj condition TO travel.
Any one who advocates a correction OF
the conditions at Brest is doing a
charitable and Christian work. They
told us when we were there II was better
than It was before we came. II that is
SO, God help those vino were there when
1t was at its worst"
Tho Senator Endorsed his wite's re-
longer and investigate at Brest, but de-
cided that It was his duty to come home
| Immediately and repc-t what he had
, seen to Washington.
VIII Urge Immediate Action.
THE first thing am going to do" he
said. after ] arrive in Washington Is 20
20 to Secretary Baker and tell him of
the conditions in Brest and the attitude
Of our soldiers on coming home. will
take up the matter with the Military
| Affairs Committee OF the Senate and 1
will recommend that the men or the
A-aerican Expeditionary Force Id
brought home "a soon as possible II is
imperative that they should return, and
| when they do we should care for them
and give them every assistance possible
we should organize a bureau to OBJ
| tain Jobs for soldiers so as to restore
| them swiftly to civil life. The Govern
ment should supply the men with funds
! pending the time they get back tn work.
We might use some of them in lettering
| the condition OF roads. The men who
| fought our battles should be happily EN-
| ployed."
Senator owen is chairman OF the Sem
ate Committee on Banking and Cur
| rency. FIe said he was going directly to
| Washington and hoped to achieve some
swift results after his talk with Secre-
tary Baker and the Committee on Mill.
| tary Affairs. He will tell about every.
thing he has noted in France that has
| affected the soldiers adversely. He was
| In Europe two months studying the re-
construction plans of the Allies.