Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-27

from command, forfeiting $50 pei
| month for the same period. His plead
ing guilty prevented all thr facts and
circumstances being develored.
1T appears that Major Glenn, Lieu
tenant Conger and a party OF assistants
and native scouts were moved from
place to place for the purpose of ex-
torting statements by means Of tor
turs and it became notorious that this
narty was called Glen's brigade.
Whether it was possible for officers to
be engaged in such acts without the
personal knowledge of the general upon
whose staff they We're serving at the
time, namely, BrigadieI General
Hughes, leave for others to conjec-
tura.
'These facts came to 1ny notice in a
casual way and many Others; of a SINH
lar character have been reported in diff
ferent parts of the archipelago. In fact
u was informed that it wls common
tall, at the places where officers con-
gresgated that such transactions had
been carried on either Ssith the conni-
vance or approval of certairl command
ing officers. 1t is, however, most graft
flying to state that such atrocities have
been condemned by such commanders
as Generals Lawton, Wade, Sumner,
Lee, Baldwin and Others.
Il found that with certein officers the
impression prevails that such acts were
justifiable. and l felt it my iuty, In or
der to correct such erroneous and dan
gerous impression and to prevent the
possibinility of such acts being COM
mitted in the future which. must impair
the good name of American arms and
bring discreGlit to our service for all
time. to address to the division COM
mander the following letter OF instruc-
tions."
Then follows an order addressed to
the commanding general of the Philip
pines under date of Feb 2S. 1908. IN
which General Miles calls attention to
the reports of atrocities and directs
that any orders or circulars of personal
instruction which would inspire or en-
courage any act of cruelty be annuiied.
Th. order says that "the excuse that
the unusual conditions justify the
measures herein condemned are without
foundation"
Continuing his report to the secre-
atary, General Miles directs attention To
the acts of RECOMMENDATION by General
Bell and claims that they were in direct
violation of law. He says that the law
was also violated in handlir g and buy.
ing large quantities OF rice which was,
sold at a profit. The people who were.
In the Recommendation camps were, says
General Miles, considered prisoners OF
war. but were compelled to buy food
from those who held them at a large
profit" General Miles chaIacterizes this
as unprecedented. He speaks OF the
magnitude of the transaction, which In
voived 21,00O,000 pounds Of rice and
other supplies at cost OF s306.320. He
says that IAN extraordinary feature OF
this transaction is the action which was
disapproved by division commander
who assumed command and who
turned the matter over To he civil au-
the,rities, and that 1t has been carried
or under an act of the Philippine COM
mission.
A reply to the foregoing portion of the
report has been prepared by Judge Adj
vocate General Davis In a letter to the
secretary of war in, which lie says:
The incidents which are set forth in
the enclosed special report have been
made the subject of special investiga-
tions; in some instances these have
been conducted by courts martial and
their findings, and sentences have been
duly promulgated In orders; In others
the Inquiries have been entrusted to In
spectors, or to officers designated for
that purpose by the commanding gen
eral in the Philippines. Where admin
let f,.oft ftN.o ,ot{ ton hnc nol fnr =,
result of such Investigations, it has
been taken by the proper military COM
mander IL the parties continued within
his Jurisdiction; in other cases the mat
ter has been submitted to the depart
mlsnt with view to a resort to such
punitive remedial orders es were
deemed appropriate, and these repre-
sentations have resulted in number of
court rt-martial trials. AS to some
phases Of these inquiries the investiga- :
tions are not yet complete and refer
ence OF the papers to the Philippine
islands or officers who are now serving
iE the United States has been neces-
sary. Whether the necessity for any
further administrative action, in addi-
ton to that already taken, will be dis
closed as result of such investigation
can only be determined when inspection
reports are received at the department y
General Davis explains that the in,
quiries are especially difficult because
the incidents complained of were not
made known at the time and officers
and soldiers of the volunteer army
have been named and discharged.
He discusses at some length the dis
tribution of rice in the provinces of
Batangas and Cavite, which is a matter,
that has been considered in the depart
ment 1t is explained that in order to
restore civil order and to provision the
people in the concentration camps it
was determined by General Bell with
the approval of the commanding gem
eral that purchases of rice should be
made by the subsistence department,
the latter to be reimbursed by the mil
.tary government. Upon this point
General Davis says:
The measures resorted to were die
tated by military necessity; they were
undertaken with the approval of the
local military commander and were call.
culated to meet an emergency of inn
pending famine, in such way as to
relieve actual distress without pauper-
izing the native population and without