New-York tribune., 1918-04-17
Army Can Handle
Problem, He S.,,
Sensational Developn.,.,
Expected at Hearing. !.
Bill, Starting To-day
[Staf Correspondence

sNieioli III THIS cAu,
try, in the opinion OF Senator t,.,.
3. Chamberlain, chairman Of ths 4. =
ate Military Committee. Mr. ch,r,
lain introduced a bill with th;s 4, :
to-day in the Senate. -
Hearings on the bill will be b.r
by the Military Committee to.mo,,.-
and while no announcement ba, ~
made even as to who the witnessed -
be sensational developments are M.
ised. # is hinted by friends Of /.
ator Chamberlain, though he y,,u
make no comment himself as TO i.
the hearings are expected to rsrd
that the disclosures as to the Inn
with which the German situatim /,
this country has been handled m
rival the exposure made by Semn
Chamberlain, Senator Hitchcock nj
ether members CT the Military C,s.
mittee az to the fall-down in the Mill
tary programme.
THE Department of Justice se,a,
10 me to confess that it cannot hiudA
the situation" said Mr.. Chamberhh
"All l can say is tha. the military a,
thorities can handle it if they are riv,
the chance, ard think thev should NJ
Points in Favor OF Bill
Mr. Chamberlain made six b.it
points in favor Of his bill, as follows
/. The war cannot be run in III.
criminal courts by the Departments d
Justice.
2. The army should deal with co.
emy activities.
3. Congress should grant all Ii.
authority TO the army and nayy
necessary.
q. The moral effect Of one man az,
rested end tried by court martial i
worth a hundred men tried by tie
Department of Justice in the crrt
nal courts.
S. The one feature Of bail aoa
makes the criminal courts unsulA
for wa crimes. We indict man To-
seditious speeches. etc. He IS n
leased on bail. and then goes ahess
and makes even more seditioa
speeches.
6. Enemy activities are actIvlta
which must be promptly punlsnes
thus preventing at once future &c
tivities.
Text of the Bill
Senator Chamberlain's bill is as ~
lows:
Be it enacted, etc. that, owing !
changes in the conditions Oh mousl'
warfare, whereby the enemy now "
tempts to attack and inJure tne wv
cessful prosecution OF the war y
the United States by means v
civilians and other agents and W. W
porters behind the lines spfeau.'
false statements and propaganos. =.
juring and destroying the tnings ~ y.
utilities prepared or adaptee ~. y
use of the land and naval 1o!css .!.''s,, !,
the United States, thus cons.'us..ss "..s
the United States part OF tne ", =,
of operations conducted BY "
enemy. any person, whether ca'.,
or a subject of the enemy counstss%
otherwise. who shall, anywhere
the United States, in time OF w.
endanger or interfere with OF y y
tempt to endanger or interfeIs sm
the good discipline, order ng's.sur an.u
! health, safety or successipi opsd
ton of the land or naval 'o'''''
the United States ..;,,s
(a) BY causing or attemp.mi 4
cause iMsubordination or reiussi reii~
duty by any member of such is''
+ naval forces. or .,;tta
or causing to be delivered or ~
mitted. to any member OF suea n,,t. 4,
or naval forces any written OF ~.
ed matter which shall suppon
favor the cause Of the enemy -, ~
try or of its allies in the "as' "
which shall oppose the cause .s ', .tII
United States therein, or whien ssIs III
contain any false reports OF =, N
statements intended 10 interlsiss i,r;
the successful operation OF sus' >
or naval forces, or ,,:.,;re ~ |
(c) BY printing or pupl'sn''e
such printed matter, or ...uptia
Cd BY performing or at'eIafsa aa.sa
TO perform any act made sh S.stss Sss
against the United States by 0,'
l ta), Section ! lbb, sec.'0n - rib /
Section l Cd or Section "a, ~, :" 81: u
/ of the act entitled An .x;,b be |
punish acts of interference S,ss VIZ ID
foreign relations. the neu.irs''iH;s iH;svt
+ the foreign commerce OF the ul ms
States to punish espionage, sno I
ter 10 enforce the criminal issss .skr
the United States. and for
purposes approved june -
as ls1 amenS'd, nS asSformins ef or at,sssRs ssss
to perform any act mao hy nv tms
against the United state; h the
entitled IAN act TO puh'sn,o n,,oater,s
struction or injury OF war .;,;,ie h
and war transportation rioRs:
fim. explosives or oths;, ols;,e ux d
means, and to forbid hosti1s Mo- |
propertv during time of wa., .r;r III i!i
other purposes" approved Ap'A
or g, By performing or .,ssss'sss: sss.ss
to perform any act made a. ~ a \
against the United states es. AZ r. 4
ton u or Section IS Of 'as me Pr |
titled IAN act to authorize .ra r;Is q;
dent to increase tempotssu .ss urissss
/ military establishment o. o. ,sd soI; -,
States" approved May 10; H. subjT
be deemed to be a spy ana "a D'.IsJs Os Js =
to to trial m by general court c.n moi i y
by a military commIssI9t;a. rIt;.l d o
army. or by a court mafnrs a.sa,soi 81
| shall suffer death or suen .",,rt v.u M
I ishment as said genera; ;sn ssa or 60
tial or military commission :
I martial shall direct. s.,eiu &
ta;nsd Svss'Sh shali be deemed to rsss 80. !.
provisions of Sections q fhs