Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-13
TROOPS FELT SAFER
EFFECT OF GEN. SMITHS "KILL
AND BURN ORDER.
Natives Were Kept in Check-So1diers
MISUNDERSTANDING Of a
Former Private.


mony before the Senate committee on Phil
ippnes. At the time Of the Balangiga
massacre Of Company G. 9th Infantry, the
witness said his company was stationed at
Bauan, Batangas. The Tagalos soon re-
ceived word Of the massacre and began to
harass the troops and would come up to
their quarters and say, You are bad, ,"
and 1--WE will do with you likewise" Before
the order Of General Jacob H. Smith to kill
and burn. the witness said. the soldiers Of
his company being in such constant fear Of
massacre. would suddenly awake and in
their fright exclaim, Get 'em, boys, get
EN-"
After General Smith issued his order, he
said. the natives for the first time under
stood that the Americans meant what they
said and the troops felt safe. The difficulty,
he said. was because certain order by
General Otis for the killing of outlaws
never was executed. and this made the ma
tives bold in their resistance. They all de-
plored the death of Luna. but hailed with
delight Aguinaldo's capture.
Treatment Of Fil1pinos.
Answering a question by Senator Bever-
tdge, the witness said that Filipino prison.
ers were treated too well; so much so that
they preferred to remain prisoners to be-
ing sent back among their people.
The general course Of conduct of Ameri-
can officers and men toward peaceful Fill
p1nos, he said, was humane. The men,
however, were discouraged on account of
the food they got, and officers would not
object when the men were hungry to their
going into house and taking food. 1.-The
whole tendency Of the army" said the wit
ness, was to mage the men anything but
pleasant toward the natives. They used the
gun to shoot with rather than to preach the
gospel with"
He followed this by saying that his or
ders were to treat the F'ilipinos kindly, but
added: War is hell, and the boys are go
prevails"
Senator Beverage created furry by ask
ing the witness If he had talked with any
senator since he was last on the stand.
senators Patterson and Carmack vigorous
ly objected to what they termed an I'M
called-for reflection on the minority
When there is an imputation made by
me 1t will be made directly" answered
Senator Beveridge.
The witness declared that he had talked
with no member Of the committee and the
matter was closed.
Responding to question by Senator Car
mack the witness said that hard and con-
tlnuOuS service In the PHILIPPINES and the
poor food the men received made them mo-
rose and in vindictive temper.
Complains of Rations
las for myself" said he, Il will say 1
than 1 ever had before because of the way
was treated" He then threw on the table
can of salmon and a can Of condensed
food tablets, which, he said, had been
Issued to him as his meal just before leav-
Ing the army and which he said he refused
to eat because 1t was spoiled
In the one case of water cure which he
had witnessed in Batangas in 1901. he said
the native received no harsher treatment
than being badly scared, and the treatment
had the effect Of making him promptly
give Information regarding the whereabouts
Of guns.
The witness described the receipt Of couu-
terfeit dollars in the Philippines from a
Hong Kong financial concern, but fatty re-
fused to say that the bank knew the money
was counterfeit He declared that there
was an order that men who passed counter
felt money were to be arrested, and that
two natives had been arrested. He said he
took money to the bank referred to to be
changed and received two counterfeit dol
lars You can call it passing counterfeit
money II you want to-" he said, but re-
ceived the two dollars"
The soldiers, he said, answering Senator
Carmack, did not like Gov. Taft, but they
did like Chaffee. He said there was a d.
vision Of feeling between the two regarding
the policy to be pursued in the Philippines.
Questions by Senator Beveridge developed
the fact that the witness had declined after
his discharge to return to the United States
on transport but had made the journey
homeward via the Suez canal, "in order to
see the country" His claim for reimburse
ment was disallowed by the War Depart
ment.
The witness was then excused and the
committee adjourned until tomorrow.