Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-02
PHILIPPINE WARFARE
PRECEDENTS FOR LAYING WASTE
AN ENEMY's COUNTRY.
The Campaign In Panay Island Sane
toned by Military Usage
Magnified Stories.
From the Denver Republican.

A. B. Johnson, who until recently was
United States consul at Annoy, China, was
in the Island of Panay when the vigorous
military campaign which is now being in
vestigated by a Senate committee at Wash
ington was begun, and he is now con-
WINGED that an injustice is being done to
the officers concerned by the reports which
are being sent out. Discussing last night
the testimony taken yesterday Mr.. Johnson
said:
The testimony now being taken before
the Senate committee on so-called out
RACES IN the Philippines perpetrated by
American soldiers Is intended to be sensa-
tional and is wholly misleading. A great
deal of stress is placed upon the fact that
certain towns or barrios were burned and
an effort Is made to locate the officer who
gave the order to burn-just as If 1t were
unusual and crime against the laws of
war and humanity 10 burn and lay waste
the habitations of the enemy's country.
There was some such talk as this in GER
tain quarters for year or two after Sher-
mans march to the sea, yet history records
that in the end it was less evil and
hardship than would have been less Wig
orous policy which would have enabled the
enemy to prolong the struggle
During the latter part of November and
until December H. 1900 l was in the Is
land of Panay. where these so-called hor-
rors occurred. 1 spent my thirty days va
cation there. l saw some of the fires and
know of some of the hardships which were
endured by American soldiers who were so
unfortunate as to fall into the hands of the
Filipinos.
Encouragement of Rebels.
lowing to the hope extended the insur-
rectos by the anti-imperialsts In America
prior to the election, no progress had been
made in subduing the island for twelve
months. In fact. 1t became evident that
nothing but real war with all its attendant
sufferings would ever break the courage of
those rebels. The order went out along the
line to, drive the enemy from the field and
put down the Instruction with all possible
speed. Twelve months of coaXing and
pleading had failed-utterly failed and men
We're pointed out to me on the streets Of
1loilo who were sustaining, encoura ging
and keeping alive the war while living
within the American lines.
The advance was made, war was begun
In earnest and on the 18th of December,
when left Iloilo the natives were fiocking
into army posts at the rate of from 1900
to 5000 day TO take the oath of allegiance
and save themselves from the horrors Of
war. In ten days $4,000 came In. Up to the
middle Of November they had not realized
that 1t was serious matter to take ND
arms against the United States; that in
reality war was hell. l saw the smoke of
more than one burning barrio, and in all
candor l say the order to burn and kill or
capture the enemy was a humane order
was lawful and all this sensational testi-
mony Is not prompted by desire to serve
huma nity."
How about the water cure?' Mr. John
son was asked.
There may have been some such cases,
but they were isolated ard are being mag
nified in the retelling. First it was 126
cases Of the water cure, all witnessed by a
returned volunteer on this Island of Pa
nay. These have shrunk to three cases on
that island, and the other side of the story
has not yet been heard. 1 met Capt. Glenn,
Lieut.. Conger and DR.. Lyons. They are not
demons. Conger had his old mother in
1loilo with him and a more dutiful son and
finer gentleman one would not care to meet.
Treachery of Natives.
mo one seems to be retelling the awful
outrages perpetrated upon American SOL
diers by orders of these men who now pose
as victims, and who usually did their most
diabolcal work while pretending to be
friendly and while they were actually
drawing pay from the United States gov
eminent, was the case with the presi-
dente Of Igbaras and as was the case Of
the presidente In Samar, who led the as
sault which wiped out forty-eight of our
boys there. 1 do not defend torture or cru
city, but military campaign is necessarily
drastic and severe, even unto death, or it
is a failure.
''Au this searching examination of vol
unteer privates to learn who gave the or
der to burn that town smacks of political
buncombe. 1t will scarcely result in any
wholesome good.
Sixty days after this vigorous campaign
opened in Panay 100000 people on that is
land had absolutely submitted to the SOW
ereignty of the United States and from
that day to this it has not been necessary
to fire a shot burn shack. Were / in
the army this would be my answer to the
charges OF unnecessary cruelty, and / be-
lieve this will be the answer of the Ameri-
can people.
Il regret exceedingly that an order was
issued to court-martial General Jake
Smith. than whom the United States has no
wiser, prudent or more capable defender
Of its honor in the islands. / seriously
doubt the correctness of the report of
Major Walters testimony, which compro-
missed Gen. Smith. Even If Waller is cor
rectly quoted. there is no evidence that
such a verbal remark, that might have
dropped from the generals lips, was ever
taken seriously or even acted upon by and
subordinate. Waller was crazed by star
walton and impending danger such as
few minds capable Of withstanding
without going wholly to pieces. Why not |
judge such officers leniently?'