The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-08
GENERAL ORDER 100
.nuNIsTRATION BASES ITS DE-
TENSE ON THIS.
WAS APPROVED BY LINCOLN
NIGHT OF RETALIATION WAS
AVAILED OF.

rho order n Contribution to CiviIi-
xotion of Great and Recognized
Value, Says Secretary ROOt-Gen.
ueIrs orders for Retaliation Upon
riIipinos for Violations of the
RuIes of War Were Based on 1t.
Cen. ChaITee Approves of Desper-
ote Measures if Needed.
washington, May 7.-Secretary Root
,o.dav submitted to the Senate an an
/ .rer to the resolution of May l call
1 inc for copies of any orders issued By
Cen Bell relative to concentration in
Bstangas and of the orders issued by
cen. Smith to Maj. Waller, set up by
H.. latter in his defense before the
conrt-nartial The secretary was also
asked to state whether these orders
were approved by Gen. Chaffee or by
be War Department, when they were
known to the department, and when
countermanded.
In reply the Secretary submits two
orders by Gen. Bell, dated Dec. and 8,
last In the first, Gen. Bell recounts
in detail the provocations submitted 10
for three years by the United States
government in the Philippines. He re
fers to the trelchery of the natives, to
their use of Internal machines, and to
their constant violation of all the rules
of civilized warfare. Therefore, he de-
cares that he is reluctantly obliged 20
avail himself of the right of retaliation
under the regulations, and to deal Sc
verely with persons who commit the
acts denounced in General Order 100,
and wheneverf unarmed prisoners or
defenseless Americans or friendly ma
lives are murdered for political pur-
poses he will execute a prisoner of
war. chosen by lot from the town
where the MURDER occurred.
Approved by Abraham Lincoln.
The secretary says the order referred
IN was approved by Abraham Lincoln
and that the orders mentioned in the
resolution and in Bells order of Dec.
1S were in strict uniformity with the
letter and spirit of this famous order,
which he says was contribution to
civilization of great and recognized
value
Another order transmitted is one by
Mai. Gen. Lloyd Wheaton, dated Ma
Mia March "a, 1902 upon the condition
of the natives collected in the concen-
tration camps, from which it appears
that they were well fed, helpful and
contented. Cen Wheaton expresses
the belief that the camps can be brok-
en- up within sixty days. An impor-
tant Endorsement on this report is by
Gen. Chaffee, in which he earnestly
advises personal contact with the peo-
pie and acquaintance with the situation
in the Philippines before condemning
what has been done. He understands
that all means justified by the laws
of war are to be applied to defeat the
methods of the enemy, saying:
If desperate in the last case, more
desperate must be the attack to end
IT,"
Secretary Root says that there was
no reason to doubt that the policy en-
bodied in the above orders was at once
the most effective and humane which
could possibly be followed.
Knows Nothing OF smiths order.
The Secretary in further replying to
the resolution denies knowledge of any
order issued by Gen. Smith to Maj.
Waller, such as was referred to in the
court-martial, and he encolses his or
ders for Gen. Smiths trial, based upon
newspaper publications as confirmed by
Gen. Chaffee. He declares that all of
Gen. Smiths written orders relative to
Samar have already been printed by
the Senate and they are all in strict
conformity with General Order 100.