The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-20
Brest is Not the Best, But is
Far from Being as Bad as
Ru1nor Has Re-
ported.
PLENTY OF MUD THERE
Halt OF Deaths Were Those Who
Died Oh ships Before Soldiers
Reached Other
Side.

[By Lowell Mellett, United Press
Staff Correspondent
copyright, 1919, by United Press.]
BREST, Feb. 20.-Brest may not
be the best military base in the
world, but is far from the worst. in
the opinion Of officers and men per
manently stationed here.
An investigation. conducted under
such circumstances as the situation
will permit, failed to substantiate
charges that Brest is a pest hole
or that the men are victims OF mis-
management. 1t is true that, in com
mon with much of western France,
there is super-abundance of mud,
but this is due to climatic and geo
logical conditions. This could not
be avoided, as Brest was selected as
base because OF strategic and
geographical reasons. Reports OF
Shocking food and sanitary condi-
tions are unfounded, according to
the inhabitants of the camp them.
selves.
Rumurs are understood to nave
been circulated in the United States
that three thousand American sol
diers died in Brest during Septem Ger
and October OF the last year. The
facts are, according to figures given
the correspondent, that from No
vember, 1917 when Camp Pontanez-
zen-where soldiers are congrega.cd
to await transportation home-was
established. up to the first OF the
present month there were 1,21l
deaths from all causes. This in
cludes the victims Of the pneumonia
and influenza epidemic during Octo-
Der and September, most of whom
are said to have become infected
either en- route here or before they
left the United States.
It also includes $40 who died
aboard ship while coming over.
These figures were authorized by
General Eli Helmick, base command
er; General Smedley Butler. COM
mandant at Camp Pontanezzen, and
Colonel Guy Edie. base surgeon.
These officers claim that the sick
and death rate in Brest, which
handles more American troops than
any other port, is the lowest Of any
camp in France.
A private from California admitted
that Camp Pontanezzen is less at
tractive than Camp Lewis, that it
probably is less comfortable and that
certainly the streets are infinitely
muddier, but declared that it is the
'sbest camp in France"
He was asked why.
Because" he replied, they feed
you right here
What do you mean by sright?'"
"Well, there's lots OF 1t, it's good,
and you don't have to wait for it.
Why, they had hot chocolate and
things for US when we got off the
train and a hot dinner ready when
we got to camp, although it was in
the middle of the night. Don't let
'em kid you; this is white mans
camp"
Afterwards the correspondent talk
ed with many other men in the
ranks, and the opinion Of the Cali
fornian regarding the camp received
unanimous endorsement. Personal
Investigation showed that the food
was better than served in many
American, British and French camps
which the correspondent had visited.
When Brest was first taken over
as an American base, there was
terrific struggle under frightful diff
ficulties to get million men through
this ancient, unmodernized port at a
time when the only thing intolerable
was delay The problem now is that
of getting even a greater number of
men home again-with spirits in
tact. while tolerance for delay is not
much greater than it was before.
This is being accomplished despite
Inadequate facilities-un-
less the figures given above are dis
puted.
Helen Rowland: Marriage would
he lot happier If it were less of
,p Sc,,oro dool