The Nenana daily news., 1919-06-10
JACK|ES SHOW
 FORMER ALLIES
 HOW ID FIGHT

and 1t Is a matter of record that they usually come home with the bacon. It has been said of them that a very large proportion of their number were pugs before they joined the service and that those who were not masters of the art of self defense at the time of en- listment, have found it to their advantage to acquire expert knowl- edge of ring tactics since becoming a part of that branch of Uncle Sam's service. Whether or not that is true, the News cannot say, but it is a we'll known fact that Jackies would about as soon fight as ea;, and usually the lifting of the smoke of battle finds them masters of the situation.
 A recent shore encounter at Brest, in which the Yankees were compelled to defend themselves aginst the combined sailor forces of British and French warships at anchor in the harbor, was no ex- ception to the rule Tn letter received recently by Harry Shaw from Major Howard P. Curtis, the former general storekeeper tells something of the mixup, stating that the Yankees not only held their own against great odds, but actually forced the Franco-British- CTS to seek refuge on board their respective vessles.
 All of the sailors. it seems, had been enjoying life at Brest and were in a hilarious mood when the Britishers broke up the friendly party by assaulting some of the Americans. Immediately there fol- lowed general mix-up, the French sailors joining forces with the Brit ish in what appears to have been an attempt to run the Yankees out of town. Curtis says the fight was a good one while it lasted, and ended in complete victory for the Yankees.
 Nothing came of the fstic en- counter beyond the suspension of the shore leave privilege during the remainder of the time the war yes sels remained in port. But the battle was still the main topic of conversation at Brest at the time Curtis wrote his letter, and the Yankees were regarded very much in the light of heroes for the splen- did manner in which they conduct ed their defensive operations.
 The former storekeeper says that his work is less arduous now than during the war period and the months immediately following the signing of the armistice. His pres ent duties consist chiefly of look ing after the requirements of Am erican vessels leaving Brest. He has a launch at his disposal and is beginning to get some enjoym ent out of life at the inhospitable French port. @" ...- There is some talk. Curtis says. of abandoning Brest at an early date, but it is not yet known what will be done with the great build ings erected by the American war department. Unless some satisfac- tory arrangements can be made with the French government, for taking the buildings over as they stand. 1t will be up to the war department to rage all the costly structures, of which there are a great many. When Brest was taken over by the Americans for the use of the army, it was provided in the terms of occupation that the site should be restored after the war to the con- dition in which the Americans found it. The present plan is to abolish the base in August.
 The outward flow of American troops from Brest continues with 'out interruption, Curtis says, the monthly departures aggregating ap- proximately 125,000, which means that Brest continues to be a very r-rl,-