The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-26
'BREST CAMP GOOD,
DANIELS DECLARES
Navy Chief, After Two Days
Investigation, Has No
Criticism.
BOYS CHEERFUL, HE SAYS
Insists Tents Are Warm and
Dry and Food Of Good
Quality. ~,
BOYS CHEERFUL, HE SAYS


the American Secretary OF the Navy,
with his party. reached Paris from
Brest at s:25 o'clock this morning
Secretary Daniels, after his investigation
Of camp conditions at Irest, gave the
Associated Press the following state
ment Just before leaving:
II have spent a portion of two rainy
days in the camp at Pentanezen. where
II rains as0 days out Of the year.
have seen moro than $4,000 American
troops encamped here waiting for en-
barkation home and have conferred with
scores Of officers and many men Just
from the front.
Yesterday morning I walked for
miles on solid boardwalk from tent TO
tent in which the marines are CHARTERED
and in the wooden barracks where tho
soldiers sleep. visited the modern
kitchens and dining rooms and saw
where dinner for 5000 marines was
prepared In one Of the twelve kitchens.
This large number is fed In forty
minutes and Just as many are fed in
the eleven other kitchens.
Ate with Soldiers.
II sat upon the beds Of the soldiers
and ate my midday meal with them.
The meal was we'll cooked, palatahle and
I ever ate in my life. The midday meal
consisted OF large helping Of roast
beef, mashed potatoes, stewed carrots.
rich meat gravy, bread pudding with
raisins, two largo slices of white bread
and large cup OF coffee. over the en-
trance OF each OF the dining halls II n
large sign in French. whcih freely trans
lated means that you can have as much
food as you want and 90 home right
away. Few asked for second helping
for the first helping was more than most
of the soldiers could cat at one time.
81 noticed a few rosy faced young
chaps who came for another helping Just
as they had been accustomed TO do with
the food that mother used TO serve them.
II was hard to tell at the mess hall
whether the most popular phrase was
AS much food as you want or Home
right away but when 1 spoke to the
soldiers found no difficulty IN under
standing that Home right away was
the note that touched their hearts,
brought the most beaming smile and the
heartiest cheering. .t.-
hoy. Eager 70 SAIL.
The soldiers were happy when I told
them that Rear Admiral Halstead had
Just received a message that the frst of
can troops home had been commiss oned
with a navy crew and that others would
follow. the navy personnel already hav-
ing arrived on this side to man them.
It heartened them TO know that In the
harbor at Brest was the mighty Levia-
than. ready to carry $4,000 soldiers home
and that four hattleships were being
coaled preparatory TO taking soldiers
back home
The b'gness OF PontaDezen camp Ia
hard TO understand unfit you see the
tented and barracked covered city.
Speaking Of tents. went into a score Of
them. Not a drop of water can fall into
any OF them. The tents are wen drained.
and each one has n stove and IL warm
and comfortable. The men come and go
by the thousand. II Ia a city OF move
ment. certainly AZ far as the population
is concerned
AS an illustration OF the magnitude
OF its operations as many as 5000 troops
are received some days and as many as
II. 900 are embarked In a single day.
II do not know which to commend the
highest, the spirit OF the sailors who pa
triotlcally remain In the naval service In
order to bring these soldiers back when
good positions invite them to civilian
life. or the returning soldiers the heroes
of hard fought battles, whose courage
and sacrifice helped so much to preserve
the liberty and civilization of the world
They are brothers In valor and in cheer
fulness.
Says Men Arc Cheerful.
'srhe outstanding impression brouyh.
with me out OF the rainy days at Pont
anezan Is the buoyant and cheerful
spirit Of the $4,000 men I saw In camp
there. Some Of them carried heavy
packs as they marched into the camp
fresh from the scenes where in the grim
business OF war. they had looked I'M
afraid into the face Of death. All Of
them had seen hard service. Their eyes
had a thoughtful seriousness except
when you spoke OF home. and then they
fairly danced with happy anticipation.
War Is a grim business and these men
have lived hard lives, but they have the
conscious air OF the modest man who
knows he has performed the hardest Job
In history efficiently and VIGOROUSLY
And now they are eager 10 20 home and
continue the service of making q better
world.
I'm two trips over the camps here
walked about while 1t was raining, but
fifty miles of boardwalk made II pos
sible TO visit all parts OF the camp with
out Inconvenience, Every man In camp
has a bunk. mattress and Ave blankets
,i1Dsry ten Is squared by wondS( framing
and has n wooden floor and stove. ]
found an ample supply OF fuel availao BILE
for all the stoves in the camp. found
bathing facilities sufficient to give each
man in camp two baths n week and
laundry facilities ample for clean UNDER
wear twice week.
Twelve Amusement Places.
~ found twelve amusement places In
operation, which last week entertained
$50, 900 men. found the water supply
ample. I can see no reason for criticism
OF this camp. but more to praise than in
any camp / have visited in the United
States. I found the embarkation faciIi-
ties ample and above criticism. I found
the camp we'll lighted and saw the be-
ginning OF operations for an even better
lighting system.
II wish to congratulate the War he
partmont on the ability Of Major-Gen,
e. a. Helmiek. who 10 the commanding
General Of the base section Of the A. e.
r. Ie has executive ability. vision and
dIscinlina with symDathy Tha cnr,