The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-25

cral pershing asserts, by Major Gen. Hell.
mick of the Inspector Generals Depart
nent, following the receipt Of a cable
which was received by President Wilson
from New York newspaper
The publication of the cable message
from General pershing was authorized
by General March, Chief of Staff. It
follows:
"Under date of Feb. II The New York
Evening Telegram sent cablegram to
President Wilson, as follows:
Hundreds of complaints have baen
made TO The Evening Telegram of the
conditions at the United States sauir at
Brest Soldiers from the front md Red
Cross nurses practically held prisoners
If they complain are put at bottom of
sailing list. Wounded and Ill forced to
stand in rain hours for meals Officers
overbearing and harsh, and give casuals
no consideration Roofs of buildings
leak, barracks filthy, mud everywhere.
Can you not inspect camp and remedy
abuses costing lives of many American
soldiers or have camp abolished
"'tSigned New York Evening Tele-
grant,
The President sent me the above
cablegram, and directed me to have a
report made on the matter to the sec
rotary of war. The following is sum
mary of report Of conditions at Brest just
received from Major Gen. Eli A. Hell
mick, Inspector Generals Department, A.
L. F.. commanding there:
THE charge that soldiers from the
front and Red Cross nurses practically
held prisoners absolutely groundless. No
individual has been put at the bottom
of the sailing list. One organization was
held fifteen days on account of bad state
of discipline and neglect of duty, and was
released before expiration of time set
on account of honest efforts made to cor
rect deficiencies No man of the garri-
son of more than $4,000 is required TO re-
main in line over ten minutes. Troops
are marched to meals by time schedules,
and the entire garrison is fed within one
hour and fifteen minutes.
"'Relative to officers oyerbearing and
harsh and give casuals no consideration
/ all commanding officers of troops and cas-
ual officers passing through here have
almost without exception, voluntarily
and without solicitation visited my of
flee before leaving, and have expressed
/ their appreciation both verbally and in
NTlIlnr lot Tic euhllDIius cOll ties " dHt
great consideration shown them by AL
officers on duty at this base section With
/ the exception of newspaper reporter by
the name of Brown of Washington ID
c. paper, every newspaper man that ha:
visited Brest has become an ardent ad
vocate OF the organization, efficiency, and
human kindness i'll common at the rail
road station, at camp, at. the embarlla
| ton Office. at the pier. and in all Offices
! in Base Section No ) Inspections o.
buildings are made daily, and only ii
rare instances are leaks discovered dur
ing the hardest wind and rain storms
In every instance the leaks are immedi
ately repaired. usually before the eccu
pants have had time to report them. A
relates to mud everywhere. this is TIN
rainy season, Footpaths and roads wer,
muddy for time, due to conditions Owe
which no man had control. Even thi
has been met by laying approximat FL,
forty miles of boardwalks along the road
side throughout the camp, to storehotises
to incinerators, to Iaundries, to delousin;
plants, to mess halls, and along highways
Thousands OF cubic yards of crushe
stone have been laid and rolled, 50 tina
tone may walk over the camp withou