New-York tribune., 1919-09-28
Flood Declares Atrocities
i'm Army Prisons We're
Stopped as Soon as the
General Heard of Them
Sale to France Defended
Errors in Judgment Incon-
sequential Compared to
Result Achieved Abroad

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-Dcnial of
charges by Representative Bland, Re
publican, Of Indiana, that Brigadier
General Harts was implicated in prison
atrocities in the American expedition
ary force WAS made in statement to
day by Representative Flood, Democrat
of Virginia, minority member of ths
House subcommittee, which returned
to Washington to-day after Investigate
ing prison conditions and war cxpendi-
lures in France.
evidence before the committee" Mr.
Flood said, "exoneratcd General Harts
AS soon as General Harts heard of
alleged prison atrocities he proceeded
to correct them. Most OF the occur
rcnccs we're recorded before General
Harts took charge of Paris affairs, and
conditions certainly improved under
his direction"
Mr.. Flood said the accomplishments
Of the American expeditionary forces
were phenomenal and unparalleled.
Never before had there been such swift
application of intelligent energy, he
said.
Criticism Not Justified
81 do not agree with Representative
Blands somewhat comprehensive criti-
clsm OF the American army in France, -
said Mr.. Flood "The buildings alone.
ii placed end to end, would have ex
tended from Brest to the Russian from
q
Wise provision was made for an army
OF 100000. France is still wondering
at these achievements
OF course, in q time so hurried and
IN a business so vast and complicated
some mistakes and errors OF judgment
must have occurred. They were so
tcW IN number and so inconscauent;al
in relation to the big things success
fully. accomplished that they can
hardly be detected"
In regard to the purchase Of 5000 900
gallons Of vinegar which Representa-
live Bland, who is a member of the
committee. said yesterday was made at
great loss to the War Department,
MI Flood said the vinegar was pur-
chased in Spain at an actual cost of
seven cents gallon less than the
tloi ight rate would have been from the
United States.
"Cnlcss MIR. Bland has had access to
evidence which | have not seem" con-
tnucd Representative Flood, "he is in
error IN the statement that $1,700,O0
uVo or American property was sold
under & blanket contract with France
for S400,000,000 The Sl,7OO 600 900
was the cost price Of our surplus prop
erty in France.
An inventory taken when the sur
Plus was declared fixed the value of
this property at about $1,000, 900 ,0O0.
Included were camps, docks, hospitals,
storehouscs, ice plants, railroad sid
ings and narrow gauge military rail
roads, which were q liability to US be-
cause large numbers of soldiers we're
required to guard them, and because
when we cave them up, we would have
mad to remove the structures and put
the land Oh which they stood in its
normal condition.
Sale Melted so Per Cent
''Of the 81 900, 100000 in inventoried
property, S2000O0,0 were sold before
the French contract. Under the con-
tract we received so cents on the dol ar
upon the inventoried value of this
property.
"This contract also provided that out
of the supplies sold to France the
American army should be supplied with
everything needed as long as any part
OF it remained. This greatly reduced
the quantity of these supplies, which
the contract provided that France
should answer for and settle all dam
ages resulting from the use of the
lands, thereby relieving the United
States of much litigation and tremen-
dous claims