The sun., 1919-07-28
HARD BOILED SMITH
SAID TO BE MARTYR
Doctor Who Was in France
Sees Fran,eup in Case.
Special pe.potcA TO TIE Sun.

BALTIMORE, July 81. A Baltimore
doctor who fought with the Eishtieth Di-
vision In France comes to the defence of
Lieut.. ''Iari Boiled" Smith, against
whom charges OF cruelty to American
soldiers in French prison camps are
pending. He is DIR. M J. Hanna, who was
a Captain in tie Medical Corps during
the war. He was invaded back to Base
Hospital 25, and from there was sent to
Blois, where he waited to come home. At
Biois he met Smith, who then was under
arrest.
Dr. Hanna slept across the aisle from
Smith in the barracks in the Blois camp
and several times acted as his escort
on trips around camp and into tho city.
for Smith was not permitted TO move
about except under guard He Is d
bright, well educated man. DR.. Hanna
said, and the Baltimore officer became
strongly impressed. through Smiths
conversation and general demeanor with
tho belief that the Lieutenant was the
victim OF situation where somebody
had to be disciplined for occurrences
that had not been Smiths fault.
Il feel that Smith is unjustly blamed
with cruel treatment of soldiers" he
said My knowledge of his conduct at
the stockade was gained from former
prisoners.
Lieut.. Smith never was in command
at the Dastile in Paris. At the farm
used as q detention camp outside of
Paris It is true that conditions were bad,
but believe through Lieut.. Smith they
were improved. This farm had accomo-
dations for about 600 prisoners. At
times double that number were sent out
and had to be taken care Of. You must
remember that all Of these men were
guilty of some offence or they would
never have been there. At least few
were angels
Imagine 1900 men crowded in poor
quarters intended for 600 without suf-
fcient food or bed clothes.
These men were crowded in stables,
sheds or what not, without light at night
in a great many cases. Now. can you
not imagine what a fine time that vast
Lieut.. Smith has told me many times
that conditions were too horrible to
think of: that the whole stay at the
stockade (Which was only a few months)
was like horrible nightmare to him.
'T talked with several men who were
prisoners at the camp. and was told that
conditions were fierce, but that the only
ones abused were those who made trou-
Bile.
when Smith took command at the
stockade he was recovering from Sc
we're attack Of flu and his duties kept
him constantly in the office. know of
one case in which a soldier who accused
Lieut. Smith OF beating him was taken
to camp TO identify Smith. but instead
identified another officer who was visit
ing the camp. From personal observa-
ton and information from his own men
believe Smith TO be a man. a soldier
and an officer of high calibre, but a
victim OF the army practice Of passing
the buck
81 believe Smith knew not the mean
ing OF fear, either in battle or elsewhere
He had large job and handled II as
most men would do in like circum-
stances. He tried to remedy conditions
and did so after It was too late, and
Is now paying an unjust penalty for
conditions which he could not control.
'T believe IL an investigation Is car
ried deep enough Smith will be cleared.
but let the information come from those
who are not trying to excuse their pres
ence at the stockade by making use of a
chance to get back at the commanding
officer"