The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-10-13
Our Soldiers More Cruel Than the
Russians
From the New York Journal.

Nav HAVEN, Oct. 6.-Charges of cruelty
by the American troops in the Philippines, of
criminal conduct i'll the general Philippine
campaign and of looting Filipino towns by
American soldiers were today brought by Pro-
lessor George Trumbull Ladd, head of the
Department of Psychology and one of the
leading professors of Yale
! Professor Ladd has just returned from n
year spent in China, Japan and the Philip
! pines. He was given an audience by the
japanese Mikado during his visit to that coun-
/ try. The direct object ofhis trip was to lecture
before the national universities of Japan,
China, India and Egypt.
| Mr.. Ladd returns TO America an ardent
anti-imperialist Here are some of his beliefs
as result OF his trip:
Our soldiers are looting towns in the Phil
| pplneS. Russian troops in China could be
restrained by their leaders. American soldiers
! in the Philippines cannot be withheld by their
officers.
| at was mistake to take the Philippines.
1t was criminal and immoral.
Give the Filipinos self:government. They
are as nearly ready for it as we were few
centuries ago.
''See how Japan has developed self-govern-
ment in fifty years. Japanese blood runs in
Filipino veins.
CAN WE GOVERN OURSELVES?
''The question in the United States is
whether we are fit for self-government.
The monopolsts have grabbed our Gov
ernment TO evade paying taxes. Now they
are trying to grab and hold it to support a big
standing army.
The secret of the Philippine conquest is
that the United States has been committed to
the policy of raising and maintaining large
standing army to try to grab commercial in
tereSt in other continents.
Talk about civilizing inferior races by
conquest is either the result OF ignorance or
hypocrisy.
''Aguinado and his party have conducted
themselves so as to be entitled to the respect
Of civilized nations.
Professor Ladd said in discussing the Phil
ippiue question:
The attitude of the United States in re-
tanning the Philippines is not justiiable. Its
wrong from the beginning, from the time our
commissioners forced Spain to sell us the Phil
ippines. 1t has been impoli6c, immoral and
contrary to all OF our traditions. But now
that we are responsible for the Philippines the
problem is a very difficult one.
I've have made it needlessly difficult. 1t
will become increasingly difficult. Holland
has had twenty five years experience with
similar tribes in Sumatra. and they are con-
stanily in rebellion Holland has had cen
turies of experience at governing colonies, and
is better organized to govern them than we are.
Even III the ease Of the British Indies with
the English the most gifted nation in govern
ing colonies in the world, the problems are
increasingly difficult. Ii is becoming more
and more burdensome and difficult problem
every day to govern the British Indies.
The history OF the world shows that in
every case where a higher race tries to subju-
gate a lower one the lower one pulls the other
down to It's own level. This is shown IN the
history Of our own troops in the Philippines.
In spite oi the fact that our men went with
such good intentions aud from such civilized
communities, they are inevitably led into ex-
ctsseS Of cruelty ia their warfare.
This danger has been greatly increased by
the fact that our troops are not accustomed TO
give such strict obedience to their officers as
are the troops oi other civilized nations.
RUSSIANS FORBID LooTING.
1--WE are listening Just now to the complaints
against the Russians in China. Ia spite of the
fact that the Russian private soldier is much
less highly civilized than ours. his training IN
strict obedience Ia his superior officer often
I secures him against these exceSses. When
I the Russians take u town and their officers
/ forbid looting il, they prevent the private sol
| diers from doing So
.'How has it been ia the case of our own
/ troops? Both officers and men have looted
4 towns For example, ii a comparatively re-
/ cent instance, given in Trustworthy European
newspapers, Is To be believed, 50 persons were
/ killed in single Filipino village to avenge
l private quarrel ia that village.
1T would have been possible not TO have
/ held the Philippines. lsuppose that the State
/ Department wanted to pay Great Britain back
I for indirectly assisting us in the Cuban war.
4 England wanted no other nation TO get the
| Philippines 50 we were induced to take them.
/ In three or four years we have gone over
/ 10 the policy of backing up our strife Tor com
I mercial supremacy with an army. That's
/ what all the world is doing. But the policy
/ is disastrous aud wicked That is the truth at
I the bottom Of such large standing army. 1t
+ exists simply to prepare each nation to take
/ part in the division of the spoils 1t is direct
4 iy contrary To the genius OF the nation.
I ..The Fihpnos can learn to govern them
| selves Just as We learned 10 govern ourselves.
/ They are better prepared than we were few
/ centuries ago.
/ ..Just see what the Japanese have done the
/ last century in adapting themselves TO modern
/ civilization. No troops in China have behaved
more spleudidly and in more civilized man
/ ner than the Japanese. Yet 1t is only fifty
( wears since they we're in the dark ages There
1 Is probably the same blood in many of the
I higher classes among the Fihpinos that there
/ is in the Japanese.
The chances are that the Filplnos will al
| ways keep in rebellion till they are either given
/ selt.goyernment or are exterminated.
The question on ;ral in the United States
/ Is whether we are lit for rseif-government. We
/ don't need To take any more governing Jobs
/ on our hands The supreme danger to the
/ nation al this time is that it will be committed
I 10 the policy of big standiHgarmy to forward
/ its commercial interests.
! .'The same interests which have controlled
/ in their own behalf the taxation of the country
! seem about ready 10 make use OF the armed
/ force of the country,
.'Mnst OF this talk about civilzing inferior
races IS either ignorant or hypocritical. What
nation ever learned to govern itself without
7 friction and bloodshed?
Il do not look upon Russia with ANYTHING
like the horror current IN the United States
/ | think that our horror of Russia IS tostered
by the English ia favor Of holding Englands
! sunrpmarV