Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-28
CRAVE CHARGES ARE MADE
Anti-Imperalists Score Actions Of United
States Soldiers in the Philippines.
ADOPT OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
Scores Roots Commendatton of Gem
ductIon of warfare and Alleges
Good Name of the Country
f. Implicated

meeting or representative 6ntl-lmperlaHst
held in. New York last spring a COMMITTEES
was appointed to investigate army eondi-
tions in the Philippines. That committee
has since been prosecuting Its inquiries.
President Roosevelt's recent review Of the
-court-martisl Of General Jacob H. Smith
seemed to the committee to demand some
reply ana at a meeting just held at Lake
George an open letter to the president was
adopted. The letter was signed BY Charles
Francis Adams, chairman Carl sohurz,
Edwin Burritt Smith, Moorfeld Storey and
Herbert Welch. 1t says:
We desire to express the qualification
afforded us by your review OF the 14th
inst, as commander-in-chief, of the hnd-
ings Of the court-martial In the case OF
General J. II. Smith. Taken In connection
with the previous memorandum OF April
IS that review will, provided II be followed
by. corresponding general action. IN our
ment Of the national prestige and the
restoration of the morale of the army.
CommeRds Presidents Reminder.
Especially opportune in oar Judgment Is
your very commendable reminder TO offi-
GERS In high and responsible positions that
US In the east. II behooves all such Of
hcers to be particularly careful In their
bearing and conduct as to keep a moral
check over any acts Of an improper char
acter by their subordinates."
The level here reached is lofty and In
healthy contrast with that spirit far too
prevalent which seeks excuse, II not JUS
tihcation, for the excuses of the present,
In every instance of inhumanlty which
can possibly be exhumed either from colo
NAL history or for the re~grettable records
Of our Indian warfare.
While thus, however, expressing our sense
of obligation, we wish most respectfully
to call your attention to certain conclusions
which we have in the course of our own
inquiries found ourselves compelled to
reach.
Says DemOraIIzati a. General.
Coming directly to the point and speak;
us to conclude that the Generalization of
the officers and soldiers OF our army In
he ~ seryiee ana ali SradesS Of rank was
far more general as we'll as pronounced as
might be inferred from your review OF the
court-martial findings in the case Of Gen
erai Smith. The defense urged in this
case, we believe we have reason to say,
were rather notorious than exceptional.
any high standard of military morals, were
under the circumstances inevitable. This
led to lamentable results, calling for the
firm hand and stern correction found and
most fortunately applied in your orders of
April Is and July IA.
Meanwhie, we would respectfully submit
of our eastern dependencies demand that
investigation should not stop at this point
or with the results already reached.
Helieve other prtt Exist.
The inquiries we, as a committee. have
m:de, necessarily imperfect, have yet beer
sufficient TO satisfy us that General Smith
and Major Waller were not the sole cul-
prits, nor should they suffce in the chaiac-
In your review of July IA you say that
these cases were exceptional. Your means
of information on this point should be
Infinitely better than ours. Meanwhile y
side only of this painful story has been
heard and that side in part. The testimony
of representative Filipinos has been Jcal-
ously and systematically suppressed. Judi
cial and impartial examination on the spot
has been denied or pronounced imprac-
] ticable. In the present case occasionally
and by accident merely, have fragments OF
information come to general knowledge
broken glimpses only have been permitted
indicate a condition Of great and genera
Generalization. The findings of the court.
martial referred to show conclusive evi.
dence, as do the published reports of com.
manding officers and the reports of pro.
vincial governors.
onc-Third of Population Perish.
As the not unnatural result OF military
operations so inspired. an official report
indicates that out of a total population ir
a single district Of 10000 not less thar
Where Inquiry revealed the systematic
use of torture by subordinates, the Officer
In responsible Is pronounced free
from blame, on the ground that his praise
worthy absorption in other duties Of his
position was so complete hat such trivia
Incidents failed TO attract his notice. Such
a finding is certainly suggestive.
Finally, every severity known TO the
state OF war, practices which have excited
the special reprobation Of the American
people, were reported as features of tn,
hostilities in Cuba under the Spanish
regime, or in South Africa during the Boei
war, have been OF undisputed and frequent
occurrence in the Philippines. From ths
early beginning Of operations there It has
been the general practice II not actually
the order to kill those wounded in conflict
In like manner as respects concentration
camps. These as a feature in recent Span.
in us as a people the deepest Indignation
coupled with the utmost sympathy fol
those 50 unmereifully dealt with. ,Wher
pines these ~sympathies are represented
as a species of recreation grounds int
enjolned 20 be drawn, and from which
they departed with sorrow. Reports t.
which we can, on the other hand. refei
ferent from the accounts received of simila.
camps established elsewhere,
scores Roofs Concentrations.
"The war in the Philippines has been con
aHeted py me Amerieah army WIN scrup
for the prisoner and the noncombatants
never Surpassed Il ever esusiled, in am
conflict worthy only Of praise and reflect
ing creOlt upon the American people"
These words OF sweeping commentaries
and of unqualified endorsement were writ
ten by the honorable secretary when all tn
essential facts since brought to light wer
within his Official cognizance. You haV
given public assurance that the secretary /
more DESTROYS than yourself even. II tina
be possible, to probe to the bottom ever,
responsible allegation OF outrage and tor
ture to the end hat nothing be eonceale
and no man be for any reason favored o
The draft on our credulty thus presente
Is large, but we accept your assurance
> Meanwhile permit us to point out tina
l such very sweeping and somewhat un
called-for c~ommendation and approval, 8
; FAR as we are advised, are altogether un
precedented in character, coming directl
and In the midst Of active operations froT
the fountain head OF military activity. ]
~scarcely calculated ito keep a moral chez
over acts Of an improper character b
subordinates."
1t is charitable to assume that the pres
e sure OF official business at the time of IN
/. communication referred to was such tha
! the secretary failed to recall what CORE
s~pondenee had been brought to his motto
OF fully to advise himself as 70 what a
5 files Of his department might have to di'
such are certain OF the conclusion
reached by us from as careful study as
has been IN our power 20 make OF facl
. thus far pFoeurable. We have ~endeavOre
! TO supplement and perfect the evidence
) but our efforts TO that end have eneouI
a tered obstructive embarrassments-
n The allegations we make are grav
! the condition Of affairs We describe ser
a Gus. AS a national record Il Is discredl
. able. The good name of the country
implicated. as Is also the professional cha