Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-01
Congressman Kiess Says
U. 5. Soldiers Should Be
Brought Home at Once

congressman E. r. Kiess, of the
Lycoming district, recently returned
from tour of the war area in
france and he is speaking his views
without hesitation. He saws:
Unless the sanitary conditions NJ
the ports of embarkation are rapidIv
improved, many boys who esca ned
ueath IN the trenches will meet IT
IN these camps awaiting orders tn
return to America.
am satisfied that the most -,
portant work the War Department
can do now is to take immad,oto
ana drastic action to improve these
ooholtiQns. In view of the fact TINT
ior iIor year and a half these nor,.
nS peeh used for the debarka tion
80 oups one might naturally SIM
Fas'I,.aat Inat within that time adenuata
ha ,lnns. Lor tne care OF troops wouId
! sonsbIo ueu. l can think of no rea-
o1ndpIe excuse for the presant -
plorable conditions and 81 - ue-
Pose' AT once, to call the attontin pii
% the secretary of war Ia tbis 80
ana urge him to take fnroadis' -
drastic action. immediate
90, boys Eager TO Come IIon,o
soIdiors s with many officers ona
TuieIs from every part 20 ahu
niansod states and they all sa.,,,ns ,is
honoa, ~ see a civilian from shaeii
the statn 10 near some news fro.N
ber of Is l was glad to see a NJ
our PennS,,,,m rom nome, but most -
army OF occ,,n troops We're in tha
in,a" seeing them. Evar therefore
and sung stories to tell Of th e mad
80 L round the officers me war,
ret,, luminous in their ~ PRIV
o. nome as quickly as re TO
A. tL neeo not remain lons ~ p98ssioIe. 8e.
ana I0roughly appreciate rance
diers ah sympathize with fba so1
Iooks - ,i tneir desire TO return Hon.
HIIsh'y good to me-"
- favors Their Return
1t is most natural now tbo+ A.
armistice has been sirnad ai ani t the
hghtlng ended that they sbo,,ie ris
want 10 return home, feeling that ~ y
onJect for which they crossed the
seas mas been attained, Personaii,.
heartily favor the return of tbe
troops as rapidly as possible ara he
neVe that every effort should he
made to expedite their return and
ueHoplllzation. There is a feeling
| stia' those VINO nave been the longest
In combat service should be the first
to be returned. 1 would leave tbe
work of policing Europe to the En-
! ropean countries, and am convinced
that the reconstruction of devast
france and Belgium is q problem
TO be dealt with by the civil rather
than the military authorities.
French Overchargc
conversation with the soldiers
and officers disclosed an unfavor-
able opinion of the French because
OF their mercentary attitude. Com
plants were well nigh universal
that the Americans were overcharged
Tor everything they had need to pur-
chase. 1t is currently reported and
quite generally believed that the
French have three prices for every
commodity. The French soldiers
and civilians pay least, the English
next highest and the Americans are
compelled to pay top notch prices
Severe criticism and vigorous re-
sentiment of this treatment are very
generally expressed by our army.
especially yin view of the sacri-
fees they have willingly made to
keep France from passing under the
heel of brutal conquerer. 1t is
estimated that the American SOL
diers spend twenty-five to thirty mil
lion dollars per month in France.