Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-30
"Water Cure" in the Philippines.

That even highly-civilized nation
like the United States may be guilty
Of uncivilized methods of warfare is
demonstrated by the adoption of the
concentration policy in its war with
the Philippine Islands; for the un-
civilized horrors attendant upon that
cruel and brutal policy are bound to
creep out.
In the current issue of City and
State, a Philadelphia publication de-
voted to the highest essentials of civic
life, appears an article giving some in
stances of the horrid cruelties that
atttnl our war in the Philippines.
Here is one, as told by A. +. Miller, a
soldier in the Thirty-second United
States Volunteers, in letter from
Manila to the Omaha World
We go out on hike, catch a negro,
and ask him if he has a gun; he will
give us a polite bow ana say, enc
sabby,r and then we take hold of him
and give him the water cure" After
which he can get us two or three guns.
Now, this is the way We give them the
water cure: lay them on their backs,
man standing on each hand and each
foot, then put round stick in the
mouth and pour pail of water in the
mouth and nose, and if they don't give
up pour in another pail. They swell
up like toads. Ill tell you it's ter
rible torture.
We went up the hay the other day to
get some robbers, and secured three.
They would not tell where they had
their guns. So we gave them the water
cure Isalt water, and two of them
gave us their guns. We gave the other
one SO much water we neary killed
him, yet he would not tell. Guess he
was an old head: they have lots OF
grit. They will stand and see you hall
kill one of their friends, and won't tell
thing. When il comes to their time
to take the cure, they will take their
clothes off, lie down, and take two OF
three pals of water before they will
say word. One of them said. "You
can kill me, but you can not make me
tell.
And here is another, as told by q
soldier in letter to citizen of Phila.
delphia and by the latter handed tc
the editor of City and State:
Any of the natives who have CUR
can turn it in to us and get $50 Mex
Mexican money! for il. so a gooc
many are bought in that way. WI
have a company of Nacabcbe scout.
here who go out with white troops, anc
ii they can not get any aRus yolun
tarily they proceed to give the fellow
the water cure-i. O., they throw then
on their backs. stick gag in thei
mouths to keep it open, and proceed Il
fill them with water until tncy cal
hold no more; then they got on them
and by sudden pressure on tn. stomach
and chest force the water out again
I guess it must cause eXciutiatin
agony, as they nearly always jisclos
where guns are hidden. OF cours
there is no pay for guns got in tina
manner. It is rather a harsh way 70
us to use them. l wonder how W
would feel were we used in such
manner. The soldiers who look o
think it a huge joke.
Mr.. George KEENAN,, in letter t
Outlook, says that the "water cure
is the favorite torture of the American
to force the natives to give informf
ton concerning the insurrectos. Tn
evidence, says City and State
summing up, Seems to us moral
conclusive proof that the so-calle
water-cure torture has, during peric
of nearly two years, been systematical
used in the Philippines under the eg
of our flag to produce political or mil
tary results. 1t would appear that
was employed first by the Macabel
scouts flor whom the President aske,
in his message, special recognition
Congress for their loyalty, and it all
would appear that our own soldie
shared in the CHASTITY work. 1t won
also appear that the water cure is
Spanish torture, but according to M
Remnants informant Spain used
more sparingly and considerably tht
wa have done. 1t would appear tn
we have gone Spain one better in th
businesses we Americans are apt
do in those things to which we put Of
hand. hTere is, as we have said, b
one alternative to this conclusion;
Is that there is an extended conspira
among United States soldiers to defar
their flag, to paint out of it the sta
and stripes, and to daub over it t
red and yellow of cruel mediay
Spain. If the conspiracy theory is
explain the facts, then it is the du
of our government to vindicate
honor by letting the real truth
known, and by furnishing those of
soldier servants who have circulated
cruel falsehood among the Americ
public. But if the other theory is C,
rect, if it be true that the Unit
States military authorities in
Philippines have made use of "saay
allies who in their warfare have
vived the horrors of the linguistic
then their infamous policy should
fittingly rebuked by our government
recurrence of such wicked acts shol
be rigidly forbidden, and those v
have justified and permitted tn
should be officially punished:
beyond that the stigma of outrai
civilization should be stamped fore
on their names; not oblivion, but
mortal contempt and execration, sho
be their reward. y
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