BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-07
SAflJUAN, JUNO 7
The Honor of the Army.

Gen Chaffee has justified the conf
dence which the President and Secre-
tarv Root placed in him when they
turned over to him for investigation the
various charges of inhu1nan conduct
that were brought against officers and
men in the Philippines. His review OF
the findings of the courts-mart1al IN the
cases of Major Waller and Lieut., Day
shows, what every man who had follow
ed Gen. Chaffees honorable and brilliant
career as a soldier knew would be the
case, that the honor of the army is safe
in his hands. His words are in full
accord with the instructions which Pre-
sident Roosevelt sent to Gen. Chaffee
through Secretary Root on April IS,
Immediately after Major Waller had
testified before his court-1nartfn that
Gen. Smith had given to him his orders
to make Samar wilderness and kill
everything over ten years of age. In
his cable message to Gen. Chaffee on
that date, Secretary Root called his at
tention to previous orders that he had
sent him to investigate charges of cruel
ties on Feb. 10, April 2, March a and
March ID, and in closing said:
The President desires to know in the
fullest and most Circumstantlal manner
all the facts, nothing being concealed,
and no man being for any reason favor
ed or shielded. For the very reason
that the President intends to back up
the army in the heartiest fashion in
every lawful and legitimate method of
doing it's work, he also intends to S &c
that the most rigorous care is exercised
to detect and prevent any cruelty or
brutality, and that men who are guilty
thereof are punished. Great as the
provoeation has been in dealing with
foes who habltually resort to treachery,
murder and torture against our men,
nothing can justify or will be held to
justify, the use of torture or inhuman
conduct of any kind on the part Of the
American army.
Gen. Chafees review Of the findings
is in precisely this spirit. He says of
the conduct of Major Waller, which the
latter justified by citing Gen. Smith S
alleged verbal orders, that the send
ing of the natives in question to their
death partook more Of unlawful re:alia-
tion than a justifable war" and thae
in justice to the American military
service, the findings of acquittal de-
mand that th,y shall not meet with
unqualified approval" He c2ndones
Major Wallers conduct on the ground
that his physical and mental condition
was such as to make him irresponsible
for his acts, but condemns Lieut.. Dag
for obeying Walters ORDERS knowing
as he did Walters condition at the
time. Incidentally he relieves Gen
Smith Of part of the responsibility
which rests upon him by saying that
though Waller was in telephone com
munieation with Smith he "deliber.
ately chose not to consult him regarding
his contem plated action"
What Gen. Chafee says Of Lieut..
Days conduct is most impressive and
will command universal approval.
While conceding the grave responsible
hty assumed by subordinate officer in
wilfully disobeying an order of his
commanding officer, he insists that Days
knowledge of Walters condition left
him no choice but positive disobed-
ience, and adds:
An officer must be conscientiously
TegardSul of the unquestioned legality
of his agency in taking the lives of his
fellowmen. Above and beyond all per
sonal considerations, officers must guard
the name and honor of the country.
Had Lieut.. Day been actuated by such
considerations, he would probably have
prevented one of the most regrettable
incidents in the annals of the military
service of the United States,
Above and beyond all personal con
siderations officers must guard the
name and honor of the country. That
sets the standard of duty high enough
to disarm all criticism. That it would
be set there surely by Gen Chaffee, as
it was set and maintained by the Presi
dent and Secretary Root long before
the recent assault upon the army began
IN the Senate, no man who was faniil-
lar with Gen. Chafee's record had any
reason to doubt. His review of the
findings passes them on to President
Roosevelt for final review and action.
and his decision viii be in the line of
his recent letter to Bishop Lawrence
of Massachusetts,: No one in the coun-
try can be mole anxious than I am
save perhaps Secretary Foot to- dis
cover and punish every instance of bar
barity by our troops in the Philippines.
No provocation, however great can be
accepted as an excuse for misuse Of the.
necessary severity of war, and above
all not for torture Of any kind or
shape