Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-01
Mr.. BAKER CABLES
ABOUT BREST CAMP
Report That 10000 Yankees
Are Neglected, to Be
Investigated.
Mr.. DANIELS QUESTIONED

Secretary Baker today cabled to
Mai: Gen. Harbord. the United States
embarkation officer at Brest, France,
to make a personal inspection of the
American embarkation camp at that
port and report it's condition to the
War Department as soon as possible.
The Secretary's action was based on
a press report that the camp was To-
Gated on swamp land and had been
transformed into a sea of mud since
the rainy season set in; that the
10000 American troops there await
ing transportation to the United
States were improperly housed and
fed and that the camp area was knee
deep in mud.
Secretary Baker today said that no
such information had reached the
War Department, but from other
sources it is learned, that the local
ity of the camp was known as mud
dy place in wet weather. The Secre-
tary said that he inspected the Brest
camp when he was in France last Oc-
tober and found everything in good
condition, but he admitted that con-
ditions might have changed since
then.
Mr.. Daniels Questioned.
Secretary Daniels. when before the
House naval committee today, was ques-
toned regarding published reports that
10000 American soldiers in an Army
EaH.p at RrrSt are Living in mud swamps,
fnadeQutely sheltered and insufficientIy
nourfshed. He said he had no direct
report on conditions and described the
published report f'very sensational, and
probably written at a time when condi-
tions were at the worst
Has the Navy any control over the
camp" the Secretary was asked.
None whatever he replied, explain
ing that it was under the control Of the
Army.
Brig. Gen. Butler of the Marine
Corps, who is in command of the
camp. Is under the orders of the War
Department, the Secretary saying
that the marines are transferred to
its authority as soon as they jan
the American forces abroad. Gen.
Butler was commended by the Secre-
tary for improving conditions at the
camp.
Camp Planned as Temporary"
II have no direct report from Gen.
Butler" declared the Secretary, "but
I have received a report from the
Army officer in charge of the district,
which is very warm cornmendation
of Gen. Butler and the 18th Marines
for their work to make the place tol-
erable The camp was planned as only
temporary one and not as a per-
manent place. When marines landed
there trains awaited them to take
them. Coming back the ships cannot
be there"
Secretary Daniels also said that he
had received information regarding
the Brest camp from Gen. Barnett,
conamandant of the Marine Corps, who
recently returned from abroad
Gen. Barnett Found It "Bad."
Gen. Barnett told me that on the
ship he went over on" said the Secre-
tary, 1900 persons were carried
Off sick and that another ship dumped
hundreds of sick into the camp. 1t
was in a bad shape then. but the
number of patients there would have
been a burden for modern hospital
in Washington. The officers1I think
did everything they could"
Representative Butler, father of
Gen. Butler. and member Of the
naval committee, said that he had
learned from doctors who had been
there that between 10000 and 10000
cases of influenza and pneumonia were
at the camp at one time and that while
conditions were bad he understood
they were much Improved"