Evening star., 1947-08-20
By John P. Mcknight
Assoeiafed Press Foreign Correspondent

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent
LEGHORN, Italy, Aug. 20.-Lt
Gen. John c. H. Lee, commander OF
the United States Army's Mediter-
ranean theater of operations, today
said articles published in American
newspapers charging "abuses" in the
theater had mot only done an in
Justice" to his command. but also
"a disservice to the United States.
AS a sequel to appearance of these
articles, the Army invited Ameri-
can correspondents stationed in
Rome to come to Leghorn to look
over Gen. Lees command. Ten
writer's accepted. The articles were
written by Robert c. Ruark, a
Scripps Howard staff writer.
Also as a sequel to the Ruark
charges Gen. Eisenhower, Army
chief of staff, ordered the Army's
inspector general, Maj. Gen. Ira
T. Wyche, to come to Italy to in
vestigate Gen. Lee, his staff and
the entire operational system of
the theater. Gen. Wyche has not
yet arrived.
Lavish Waste Charged.
Mr.. Ruark charged that in Gen.
Lees command:
|. There has been and continues
to be lavish waste of tax money"
2. There is a really frightful mis-
use of the privileges of rank" in
cluding afi overworking of the salut-
ing rule and the employment of
soldiers on menial, personal tasks
for officers over long periods of the
day and night.
3. There is brutality and con-
EHstent degradation and humiliation
Ffof the men" % @s~e
In the few days I have been in
Leghorn, I have talked with scores
|.ef enlisted men, some. of whom
voiced complaints. None to whom
T talked said he had been treated
brutally.
Soldiers assigned to drive auto
mobile complain of too long hours
on occasion and erratic meal times.
They dislike long waits for officer
passengers.
Generals Promise Kept.
The record showed Gen. Lee has
demanded close attention to the
welfare of enlisted men. At lower
echelons there have been-and per-
haps still are-occasional personal
deviations from the directives.
Gen. Lee promised the American
neWsmen who came to Leghorn that
all doors would be open to them and
that they could talk with any officer
or enlisted man in the command.
including himself, and ask any
questions they desired. The pro-
mise was kept.
There is Chicken" soldiers
word referring roughly to Jealous
enforcement of military punctilio.
Discipline is strict. Spick-and-span
clothing is the rule at all times and
sharp salutes are required of all.
Since January. according to rec
ords shown the correspondents,
four soldiers had been court
martialIed for failing to salute.
Three got fines of S., $40 and SIS,
respectively. The man who failed
to salute Gen. Lee received the IS
fine. A white military policeman
who failed-or refused-to salute
two Negro officers got the SIS fine.
Gen. Lee said, and documents
were shown to back it up, that his
requirements of discipline and cour-
tesy do not 60 beyond War Depart
ment directives for overseas theaters.
He said he wants every man over
seas to be an ambassador for the
United States.
Private Train Cited.
Mr.. Ruark said Gen. Lees manner
of living puts heavy bite on the
taxpayer. and cited the generals
private train, his CAT plane, his
two heavy automobiles and his
trailer.
Gen. Lee lives we'll and admitted
1t. He entertains often and well
Some of his entertaining, he said, is
authorized in his capacity as over
seas commander. such as when he
receives foreign or American Gov
ernment officials.
Other entertainment, he said, is
paid for out of his own pocket.
Il have little money of my own