The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-10-02
ROASTING SECRETARY ROOT.
EXPOSING HIS DEFENCE OF
THE ARMY.
A Blistcring Review of Army
Conduct and Management in
the Philippines.

1ne NOW LnSlanu antl-impcrlalls
committee, Of which Mr.. Charlie
Francis Adams ls chairman, make
public all elaborate review of tn
Philippine situation, which has beer
prepared by Mr.. Moorllcld Storey
counsel for tho committee. The poin
of Mr.. Storey's argument is that tn
responsibility for the conditions in th,
Philippines does not rest primarily will
our soldiers and officers in the islands
but with Secretary Root. The docu
ment is q blistering review of the his
tory of army management in the Philip
pines from the timo We occupied the
islands to the present. Il is entirely
based upon official and authentic cvi
dence, and its statements arc supported
at every point by citations Of the re-
ports of commanding officers, or OF
unimpcached testimony given before
the Senate Philippine committee. None
Of the disputed allegations is relied
upon. The whole discussion IS intend
ed to leave no loophole for charges of
vagucness or of the use of information
Of questionable authenticity.
At tho outset MIR. Storey calls atten-
tlOn to the promises repeatedly made
Wy lCbluCHU hNOOSCRClG Guul all ClkSOS
OF barbarity, or of violations of the 'n,ws
Ct war, occurring in the philippines
should be visited with severe punish
ment. These promises arc then viewed
in the light of Secretary Roots sta te-
ments on the same subject in speeches
and letters. 1t is charged that there
is direct conflict between Mr.. Roots
contentious and the facts given in tho
reports of the commanding officers in
the Philippines, which must have been
known to him. 1t is sought to show
that the Secretary has made no effort
whatever to carry out the promises of
rigid investigation and condign punish
ment made by the President, but has
concealed information known to him
from the public. Mr.. Storey then re-
Fiews the history of the various inves-
legations and courts martial instltut
at the request of the war department,
and maintains that, in every instance,
such Investigations were either farcical
or designedly incomplete, and that the
selection of the investigating officers or
courts martial boards was such as to
make it impossible to secure a convic-
ton. Speaking of the exceptionally
notorious charges against Con. Funston
and others concerning tho killing OF
prisoners, Mr.. Storey remarks of the
inquiry in this particular case that
"No one can read this record with
out seeing
81. That the first impulse of the
authorities was to punish the soldier
whose true statement led to the inves-
tlgation.
"2. That the attempt was made to
have an investigation where the wit
nesses could not be had, so that it
would be possible to claim that no cvi-
dence Was found to prove tho charge,
when, in fact, no real attempt to invcs-
tigate was made.
"3. That the most serious charge
was not investigated at ALL"
Deliberate evasion and conccalment
is then attributed to Secretary Root,
the charge being supported by evi-
dence chronogically drawn from official
documents. On the strength of these
it is argued that only by supposing Mr..
Root grossly ignorant of his duty as
Secretary of War can he be relieved of
the charge of deception.
In the course of the argument it is
maintained, from an elaborate COM
parison of statistics of the killed and
wounded in our own and foreign wars,
that the butchery of the wounded Fill
pinos was not sporadic, but was gen.
eral custom in our army. This point
is also backed up by direct testimony
of fresh interest.
Mr.. Storey also reviews the evidence
already cited, concerning the systema-
TIC uae Of torture by our officers and
soldiers, and by the Macabebcs in our
pay, for the purpose of eliciting infor.
nation. He considers it conclusive.
From an elaborate discussion of the
rules laid down in General Order No
100, as compared with the orders of
Gen. Bell and others, tho point Is
made that the mode of warfare pur.
sued by lie in the Philippines is entirely
out Of harmony with the usages of
civilized combat. In no view of the
case, thinks Mr.. Storey, can it be
claimed that our plan of reconccptra
tion, with its attendant burnlngs OF
houses and property, and it's necessary
accompaniment Of determination fol
all those found outside of the protected
zones is justiiiablo.
At the close of the pamphlet the case
against Secretary Root is summed VI
in tho following language
From this review Of the rocort
certain things clearly appear.
- "1. That the destruction of Fill
pino life during the war has been g.
frightful that it cannot be explained a
the result Of ordinary civilized wa,
fare.
Gen. Bell's statement that ono
sixth of the natives of Luzon--that il
some five hundred thousand persons--
had been killed or died of dengue feve
in the first three years of the war,
evidence enough on this point, espt
cially when coupled with his furthe
statementS
",'The loss of life by killing alon
has been ivory great, but think n,
one man has been slain except who,
his death served the legitimate pu
pose of war. 1t has been though
.Sooo,oo.r, % nlot>+ xpIo% -, nk1,o~ 49,.