The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-02-21
PUDDING
AND Pc
At I'ESl
Camp in France American
Soldiers is From
Being st
Hole.
rs ADMITTEDLY MUDDY
Only Drawback or Objection to the
Place, Seems to be the un-
avoids able Moisture OF
tho Ground.
rs ADMITTEDLY MUDDY
[By Lowell Mellett, United Press
Staff Correspondent


lTCopyright 1919 by the United Press.1
BREST, Feb. 21.--The mothers of
America, who are waiting for their
boys to come home, may rest assured
that Brest is not pest hole" de-
spite reports to the contrary. This
assertion is based on official ngures
showing the sick and death rate
here to be lower than in any other
camp in France and on the results
of a physical investigation by the
correspondent.
! Brest was selected as the chief port
| for the arrival Of American troops in
! France primarily because 1t is the
| closest to the United States and the
dangers of the submarines and mines
were lessened in consequences. Its
strategic and geographical advan-
tages outweighed it's climatic draw
back The rain seems to fall ever
lastingly in Brest. The soft ground
is usually morass of mud. But
when rain and mud are mentioned
the worst is told.
A trainload of soldiers arriving at
Camp Pontanezzen from the city find
Red Cross nurses waiting on the
platform to serve them with hot
chocolate before the hike to their
billets IL 1t is in the day time. If it
lis at night the soldiers are given a
big supper at kitchen capable of
feeding 1000. When they arrive at
the camp proper, they are billeted
either in tents or barracks. These
tents are foored, have stoves and
are equipped with bunks securely
fastened to the side walls. They hold
six men, each receiving more air
space than the regulations provide.
When given their choice, many new
corners prefer the tents to the bar
racks. The same Is true Of part
of the permanent garrison. There is
no question of their warmth. The
correspondent visited several on one
of the coldest nights Brest has ex.
perienced this winter.
This described the condition the
average trainload of soldiers find, but
occasionally the failure of transports
to arrive on time resulting in crowd
ing causing emergency utilization of
unfioored tents. In such cases the
permanent troops turn out and col
lect duckboards from storehouses
with which temporary floors are
made. Before the big dock kitchen
was completed, the kitchen crews
meals for the newcomers no matter
what the hour.
The tented areas are well drained,
regardless of the rain. The new
comers are warm and dry their first
night. The next morning they are
given a breakfast of braised beef,
cornmeal mush, bread and jam or
syrup and coffee. They are given a
bath which is designed to remove any
Ivermin and leave all their clothes
behind, receiving complete new
outfit. Then they move to new quar-
ters, either in tents or barracks.
Dinner consists Of roast beef,
mashed potatoes, brown gravy, salad
| CASUALLY made of cold beans, onions,
tomatoes and pickles., peach cobbler.
coffee and of course, bread For sup
| per they have Turkish stew, baked
beans, creamed potatoes, bread pud-
ding, bread and coffee. This is one
days typical menu for men and Off
GERS alike. The menus vary among
the kitchens and from day to day.
The result is there is Keen competi-
! ton for the prize given the kitchen
| Judged to be serving the men best
weeks leave every month. Some
times as consequence the men get
hot cakes and doughnuts for break
| fast, pie for dinner, etc.
The amount of food allowed to
each man is unlimited. He can re-
peat the whole dinner if he desires
| Feeding is done on an exact sched-
ule. BY which it Is impossible for
man to spend more than thirty
minutes going and coming between
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