The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-24
DEFENSE OF GLENN
What the Major Says Of the Water
z Cure
AND ITS ADMINISTRATION
How It Helped Bring the War to a
Close-Panay People it
All Foes.

Washington, July 424.-Major Edwin F.
Glenn of the Fifth infantry has been
found guilty by court-martial of admin
istering the, water cure to natives and has
been suspended from duty for one month
and fined $50, gt,a -z ~
The chief offense laid against Major
Glenn was that he had impressed the
Filipino presidente of Ygbaras as guide,
and in order, to make the man give the
desired information he administered the
water cure with decisive effect.
In his speech to the conrt-martial, &C
cording to mail advices from Manila,
Major Glenn said: "As to conditions, !
found soon after my arrival in Panay
that every man, woman and child in the
island was an enemy and in my best
judgment they are to-day and always will
be, g.. ,-'(ss .a..',z.
Major Glenn said that his position of
judge advocate in the islands had made
him cordially hated by the leaders of the
secret assassination societies.
Major Glenn then went on to say that
| the natives had put themselves beyond
the class Of honorable foes by trying to
do two things at once-friends to Ameri-
leans. when. the Americans were at hand
| and then most treacherous foes at other
times. ~
In justifying his conduct Major Glenn
said:
These men of peace have actually waged
war by killing struggling American soldiers,
and of this we had a striking example in
the province Of Iloilo, in which the men killed
were assassinated. by order Of the native
priests of the town. They have made use OF
poison in the drinks sold to American SOL
| diers.. They have poisoned their arrows and
the tips of their spears and bolos, together
with the bamboo tips placed in the deadly
| traps that abounded on the trails. They have
| hired assassins to kill those who were even
| suspected of being friendly to the Americans
and have likewise endeayored to have oul
American officers assassinated.
I Now, when the commanding general or
| dered us to proceed to Ygbaras, it was fol
| the stated purpose of striking the enemy
| We knew that the enemy was in the vicinity
and. that the presidente and his people II
| the town of Ygbaras knew all about theil
| whereabouts. We had information that the
presidente was their agent for supplies an6
| that he must necessarily know how to guide
us to them. He was carefully informed tha
| We were in possession of the facts He wa!
also carefully informed that he must guide
US to the enemy and before doing so, to tel
| us where the enemy was. 49," 49,
Now, ON the early morning of Nov. q, 1900
| was confronted by a very simple PROPOSE
ton and one which affected vitality the sue
cess of the campaign or scout. I had seizet
| as guide a man who, was morally certain
| knew all about the location, number etc.
| Of the enemy whom I was sent to strike
| Neither nor any member of my commant
possessed this information. I knew, as JUS
shown, that could force this man to guild
my command. I knew that I could legal.
| and sumlnarily kill him If he misled me
and use and apply the word 'misled in it
| ordinary Specification. > y -
| believe that the laws OF war fully JUST
| fed my killing him summarily that day.
1 did not, do so. I did not do SO because
| wanted to make use Of his services, and
could not bring myself to believe that sum
mariiy killing him would have proven a
advantageous in bringing the war to clos
as the course I actually took. .~,'f.e. .:
| Subsequent events proved the CORRECTNESS
Of my faction that day, as it: did tend to an
actually did shorten the so-called5 war +
Panay. acted deliberately, and believe
| then, and believe now, that acted strictl
within my rights and duties under the situa
ton. I knew from previous experiment upo
myself and upon Lieutenant Conger that tn
so-called water cure"-which is a ''buga
boo" for those who have never seen or trie
| it knew that it would in all probabilit
make that: selected guide not only tell m
where the enemy was but guide me wit
/ reasonable honesty for a native. am -nol
satisfied that he did know, as stated, wher
the enemy was, simply because we actual
saw that enemy under his forced guidance.
Nor again was deceived to the efec
of the punishment Imposed. 1t did frighte
my guide. 1t did not injure him in any way
| as his actions during that and subsequen
days conclusiveIy showed. k ~ ~
The evidence of every man who has xtrie
| this so-called water cure, both Involuntary
and Voluntarily, including myself, who tool
1t several months before the alleged injure
man in this case was appointed guide
stated distinctly, positively, and without ex
ception that. there was no pain and nothin
more than temporary discomfort attend
I ing It, =. = - - .-