The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-07-30

the FiiIpinos by United States Soldiers
Lake George, N. Y. July 29.-At a
meeting of representative anti-im-
perialists held in New York City last
spring a committee was appointed
to investigate army conditions in the
Philippines. The committee has
since then been prosecuting it's in
quiries. President Roosevelt's re-
cent review Of the court-martial Of
Gen. Jacob j. Smith seemed TO the
committee - demand some reply,
and at a meeting just held at Lake
George an open letter to the presi-
dent was adopted. 1t says in part;
We desire to express the gratineation
Afforded us by your review OF the 18th
inst. as commander-in-chief, OF the
findings Of the court-martial in the case
OF Gen. J. II. Smith. Especially oppor-
tune. in our judgment is your very COM
mendabie reminder to officers In high and
responsible positions that, In a warfare
with national dependents, such as that
recently waged by us in the cast, Il be-
hooves all such officers TO be peculiarly
careful In their bearing and conduct as
to keep a moral check over any acts of
an improper character by their subor-
dlnates
Coming directly to the point and speak
ing historically. our Investigations have
led us TO conclude that the demoraliza-
tion OF the officers and soldiers Of our
army In the Philippines, including all
branches Of the service. and all grades
OF rank, was far more general. as well
as pronounced, than might be inferred
from your review OF the court martial
findings in the case of Gen. Smith.
The letter then discusses the "kill
and burn" order and says: "As the
not unnatural result of military oper-
atoms so inspired, an official report
indicates that. out of total popula-
tion in a single district of 100000,
not less than 100000 perished."
The letter then alludes TO the
water cure. saying that the first re-
ports Of its practice met with de-
mails. while evidence before the sen
ate Philippine committee proved con
clusively that this and other forms
Of torture had been used and adds:
where inquiry revealed the systematic
n re-.sonafble e c;omisiaTid 1the officer
free from blame on the ground enite iiia
nrafserortnv absorption I'm other uutes
Or his position was 80 complete that such
trivial incidents failed to attract MS no.
tice Such a finding Is certainly sug-
gestive -.
FINALLY. every severity known to the
etote of war practices which have e@-
cited the special reprobation OF the AiheI-
lean people when reported as ie'leuie g
Of the hostihties In Cuba, under the span
ish regime. or in South Africa during the
aoer war. have been Of undisputed oc-
currence IN the Philippines From the
early beginning OF operations there II
has been the general practice. II not ac-
tualiy the order, TO kill those wounded
IN ,s,.n -,,,,,e- a. renreseuts concen-
tratton camps These. as a feature IN
recent Spanish and South African opera
tions excited in us as a people the oeep-
est INDIGNATION. combined with those thus
unrnercifuIly dealt with When resort
/ I'd to By our officials In the Phiippnes
these camps are represented as a species
! ~ recreation grounds. into which the
/ inhabitants OF large districts rejoiceu %
i be drawn. and from which they departed
/ nth sorrow Reports to which we can
~ the other hand, refer. give % them
| accounts not essentially different from
| eamns established elsewhere
we find ourselves, though with aeei
regret. compelled to take issue with yo1
on one important point 49,,
In your review Of July Il you say a.
most universally the higher officers have
- horne themselves as 70 supply th'
| necessary check over acts OF an lmprope
character by their subordinates- We
on the contrary. have found ouIseiNc
tmnpilo0 10 tine btAAfA AAAt+f -ff1
,eforred to were FAR more generai-tn
REORGANIZATION more all-pervasive- "
hold ourselves ready to dirtct your atten
tlon TO cases the Investigation Of Wnie
s.,,s h den,onstrate the following Grim
,,sS aets. contrary TO all recognized rule
"ns usaxes ef garfare on the part 0
-e,c.rs ana soldiers of the United States
kidnapping and murder. under qireutn
stances Of aggravated orutailey, ,o. I, w
49, 4 torture both Of men and womeT
- rane Of the latter; 4, the infiiction
Testh 81 ether parties. on the strengt
- etsdenee esisited through torture.