The Washington times., 1902-03-12
Disapproves Bill Removing
a Charge of Desertion.
THE MESSAGE COMMITTED
In Case of John Glass Executive Declares
1t Injustice to Worthy Comrades Who
Fought War to Finish to Restore
Record.

| President Roosevelt yesterday sent 70
| Congress his first veto.
He returned without approval the Sem
ate bill ito remove the charge Of deser-
| tion from the naval record of John Glass. "
The Veto Message.
| The wording of the veto message Is as
| follows:
ITO the Senate of the United States:
Il return without approval Senate bill
| No. 1858. entitled, An act to remove the
charge Of desertion from the naval rec
ord of John Glass
There can be no graver crime than the
crime of desertion from the army or
navy. especially during war; 1t is then
high treason. and is justly punishable by
death.
Innocence Bust Be Proved.
mo man should be relieved from such a
crime, especially when nearly forty years
have passed since it occurred, save on
the clearest possible proof of his real IN
nocence. In this case the statement made
by the afiiant before the committee does
not in all points agree with his state
ment made to the Secretary OF the Navy.
In any event 1t is incomprehensible to
me that he should not have made any
effective effort to get back into the navy.
He had served but little more than
month when he deserted. and the war
lasted for over year afterward, yet he
made no effort whatever to get back into
the war.
Injustice to Comrades.
Under such circumstances it seems to
me that to remove the charge of deser-
tion from the navy and give him an hon
orable discharge would be to faIsify the
records and do an injustice to his gallant
and worthy comrades who fought the war
to finish
The names of the veterans who fought
in the civil war make the honor list of
the Republic; and l am not willing TO
put upon it the name of man unworthy
of this high position.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House. March II, 1902
Message Committed.
The veto, when read in the Senate. was
referred to the Committee on Naval Af-
fairs on motion of Senator GalIinger.
The bill. as passed by Congress, was as
follows:
That the Secretary of the Navy be.
and he is hereby authorized and directed
to remove the charge of desertion now
standing against the record of John Glass,
late a frst-class boy on board the United
States steamship Moose and to issue 20
him an honorable discharge from the
service"
A Colored Barber
John Glass, the man who wishes to
have his record changed is colored
barber in Keokuk. Iowa. The bill was
introduced by Senator Dolliver.
The Committee on Naval Affairs inves-
tigated the case carefully. it Is asserted.
and Senator PIatt of New York, for the
committee, made the following report to
the Senate, Oh the authority of which the
bill was passed:
John Glass enlisted in the navy Janu-
ary 25 1854. for period Of one year as
a frst-class boy. He was then sixteen
Moose until March 4. 1864. when he is
recorded as a deserter-
Details of the Case.
1T seems Glass had been witness TO
a circumstance. compromising in its
character. affecting one of the officers,
the second one in command. on Marcn 3,
1864, and on the following day this boy
Glass was taken ashore by this officer,
furnished money to buy civilian suit,
and told by him not to return to his SKIP.
The boy felt he had to obey this order,
did SO, and hence he became charged as a
deserter.
"Your committee, taking into consid-
Grafton the circumstances, his youth. and
are clearly Of the opinion
that he should be relieved from this
charge.
"A similar bill to this one was report
ed favorably by the Senate Naval Commit
tee in the Fifty-sixth Congress-
A Worthy Case.
1t is said that former Governor Gear Of
Iowa has been very much interested in
the case of Glass. and that he believes the
claim of the man to be worthy one.
Some little heat was shown by Senator
yesterday when the veto mes
sage was read. He Immediately rose and
had read the report of the Naval Affairs
Committee on the bill. and then in a
rather impatient voice moved that the
be referred to the committee.