The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-30
SAFE IN CAMPS.
Concentration Policy in Philippines
Defended by Wagner.

Washington. May 30-The senate com
mittee on the Philippines heard the tes-
timony OF Colonel A. L Wagner, as
sistant adjutant general OF the army.
who spent two and one-half years in
the Philippines. He was questioned
about the concentration camps and
described the system by explaining the
details of one particular camp. In that
camp the people were assembled ac-
cording to villages, SO that the people
IN all cases would have their old neigh
oors near them. So far as he had been
able to observe there was no evidence
there. Moreover. they were surprising
" contented. They were at liberty to
90 outside the line from three hundred
to eight hundred yards. Beyond that
distance was what was called the dead
line, beyond which the people were not
permitted to 60. The natives were
given to understand that if they cross
ed this line they would be shot, but in
reality the orders We're not to shoot
helpless persons or any others If the
shooting could be avoided.
Colonel Wagner said that one of the
principal purposes of concentrating
was to protect them against the La
drones. which had been admirably ac-
complished. so that in many cases what
was called the dead line was in reality
the life line. Another object of the
camps had been that of facilitating the
collection Of rice supplies in order to
starve out the Ladrones and guerrillas.
The result had been that hostile par
ties had practically disappeared and
their leader. Malvar. had been captured.
The army had been much like a blind
giant 1t was strong enough to cope
with the enemy, but was not able to see
where the danger was. The policy had
Deen necessary to protect life and prop
erty and he did not see how any other
policy could have been successful
Replying to Senator Beveridge the
witness said the people were fed and
given medical supplies and the SANTA
ton of their camps was looked after.
The An erican camps in the Philippines
could no more be compared to Weyler's
reconcentrado camps in Cuba than
mercy could be compared to cruelty
A number Of questions were asked by
Senator Cuiberson concerning General
Bells policy in comparison with that of
MS predecessor. General Sumner.
General Sumner, said the witness
was not allowed to take as severe meas
ures he deemed necessary. because he
told me that he was severely handicapped
by his instructions from department head
quarters Continuing. he said that nei-
Their Sumner nor Bell had been re-
sponsible for the policy pursued, as each
was subject to the orders of department
IF Sumner had remained in command"
he said, he would have been required to
carry out the policy Bell did
He supposed. he said. that the orders
had originated with General Chaffee but
he did not understand that the orders
sd NV he Fact fbt 'i1i 4aa Des3 5esIl
gregated had now returned to their homes
and the 4th Of July the provinces of
Batangas and Laguna were to be re-
stored to civil rule.
Referring to the policy of burning viii
lagos the witness said that indiscriminate
burning was not countenanced by the
rules of W.T. and that the practice of
burning the property of non-combatants
was inexcusable except in cases in which
it was impossible to separate it from that
of hostiles and in cases in which the en-
envy was making use of it.
Colonel Wagner said he had no per
sonal knowledge Of the torture of natives
in the Philippines. but he gave several
instances in which he had heard reports
of torture. IN most of these it was found
on examination that the reports were
either untrue or eNaggerated.