Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-03-22
bREST QUARTERS
CRITICS UNFA AIR
COL. HOUSE SAYS
Having Inspected American
Camp There, He Says He
Found Much to Be Proud
of; Men Well Treated,
BY Herbert Bayard Swopc.
Copyright, 1919 by the Press Pub
fishing Co.

Especial Gable Despatch.)
Paris, March 21.-Mud IS still pres
ent at the American Army camp at
Prest, but it is a cleaner and health
ier mud than is the sort that has
been thrown at the plant in the last
few weeks.
There has been a radical improve
ment in conditions. Not an improve
ment of the sort based upon negli-
gence or m 'smanagement in the past,
but an improvement of the sort that
always follows the presence of Yam
kee enterprise and energy when these
qualities have a chance to show
themselves.
Col. House and Leygucs Pleased.
The base command, the head of
which is Major Gen. Helmick, and
Camp POntaneZen. commanded by
Brig. Gen. Smedley Butler of the ma =
rine corps, were inspected on Thurs
day by Col. House and French Minis
ter of Marine Leygues. while they
were awaiting the arrival of Presi-
dent Wilson. Their visit of several
hours took them into all quarters of
the camp, and when it was over, they
praised it highly
Col. House who is not given 10
loose talk, and who rarely lets him
self be quoted, said:
81 think conditions in the camp
and in Brest have been uniustly at
tackled. The manner in which some
thing like 10000 men are being ham
died is one calling for commendation
1t is just such work as this through
out our participation in the war, that
has made the Paris conference pos
sibie. The American army work has
been uuIfe Tainuiy hnd exceiieitly,
and, If my words carry any weight,
should like to assure my fellow coun-
trymen that there is nothing at Brest
to cause them the least concern. On
the contrary, there is much to be
proud of. The men are being well
treated well fed"
The French minister spoke in the
same vein.
"Stril,ing Example of Efficiency"
II am more than pleased and i'm
pressed by my inspection of condi-
tions in the American army at Brest
and at Camp Pontanezen," he said.
"Those two places afford a striking
example of American efficiency. Ev-
cry possible step has been taken for
the comfort and care of The soldiers,
duu llit iliiilthly iioiitt,NhiNhl 4S
above reproat h."
Minister Leygues, accompanied by
his aides, drove later, under the
guidance of Col. Singleton, chief Of
staff of the base command, to Pen
field where the Americans have con-
structed big waterworks that proba
bly, will be bought by the French
government either for national use
or to be sold to the Brest municipali-
ty. 1t is a triumph of engineering
and was planned and executed en-
trely by an American army outfit.
Conversations with soldiers in camp
and in the hospital show that they
have no kick to make. In fact they
unitedly give Brest better reputation
than most other camps in France OF
America For two months the death
rate at Rrest has been among the low
est in the American eXpeditionaty
force, and lower than in any of the
camps in America east of the Missis-
sippi.
Red Cross. Y. NJ. c. A., knights OF
Columbus, Salvation Army and Jew
ish Welfare workers have done good
work in keeping up the morale of tht
men in the face of adverse conditions
Brest will not be profitable subject
| for traducers of the American army
and searchers for scandal