The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-08-08
CAPT. ELY ADDS STATEMENT LIN
 CONTROVERSY
Supports Colonei's Views as to Moral CaIibre of Soldiers Confined in Chel- les Area-Grinstead to Coast.

 camps in the vicinity of Chelles, France, has aroused storm of com ment both locally and in the east, refused yesterday to make any fur ther statement at the present time. Colonel Grinstead left the city last night for a few days visit with his wife in San Diego.
 Anew entrant in the controversy fomented by the exclusive interview with Colonel Grinstead printed in yes terday mornings Republican is Cap tain Clyde B. Ely, former summary court officer of the 18th machine gun battalion, 10th division, who supports Colonel Grinstead's view that the men who passed through prison camps in the Chelles area were in many cases low of moral caliber and who speaks at length on various phases of the question. He does not minimize, how ever, that prison camp rule was severe.
 Captain Ely is at present at his home in Deming, New Mexico, and his interview was secured by wire early yesterday evening" It is his belief that Colonel Grinstead and Lieu tenant Frank H. Smith were selected by superior authority for roles at prison camps because they were then known to be officers who enforced rig orous discipline at all times.
 An Interview by Wire.
 Captain Ely's statement to The Re publican follows:
 s,Colonel Edgar iGrinsteadl comp mander of the 18th infantry and Lieut.. Frank H. Hard boiled" Smith in direct charge of prison farm No. 2, were in my opinion selected under the sanction of Major General Frederick Smith Strong Commanding the 10th division for the vigorous character istics they were supposed to possess.
 ."This, according to the word bruited about, was in line with general pol icy in the A. E. F. of repression. The officers now under fire are guilty only of carrying out direct or implied or ,,<1ers. The A. D. F. as whole was never interested in the manner in which the prison camps were conduct ed. Most officers and privates were there (in France) for a serious pur- pose and kept away from them. But in an army of 100000 there were many mental defectives and many with criminal records or tendencies. These naturally gravitated to the prison and their control was one of the greatest problems for the higher commanders.
 Repression seemed to be the an- swer that appealed to many of them {the commanders). Major General Strong was kindly man but much influenced. I was line -ocicer and hence outside the councils of the CO., terie at headquarters, which ruled men and officers with arbitrary sway.
 But it was made known to me as summary court officer of the 145th ma chine gun battalion and also as mem Der of courts martial that executive and statutory limits were off and that sentences of greater severity must be imposed to get them by the review ing authority. Recommendations I made for clemency (before the sen- tences were reviewed4 went into the waste basket.
 Prison Camp Rule Severe.
 Likewise, we learned of the sever ity of the prison camp regime, and the word went forth that it was a ''hell' of a place to land. In this way the higher ups evidently intended to put fear into the hearts of the men as measure of restraint I believe that Lieutenant Smith and Col. Grinstea d did only what they had direct orders or implied orders to do, and that the higher command was responsible for the policy under which these direct or implied orders were carried out
 Tn this I state only what I think I could prove, for the thoughts of being called on the carpet, as We termed being sent-for hE division headquar. ters, is still strong within pe and was always more afraid of what would happen to me there than at the front
 q personally handled some of the men that had been maIueated anI was once reprima nded for delaying a march to rest them up and feed them I was told by headquarters you can't not be good to these men. They were hungry, ill conditioned, and it took six trucks packing several trips to pick up the stragglers who were too weak to walk
 ''They were in an i'll mood, and Lieutenant Smith was, in my opinion quite correct when he said they were dangerous Howeevr, many of them did respond to kindness, and I believe that under experienced commanders they could have been controlled with. out so much brutality.