The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-03-06
LET cLEMENcY BE SHOWN.

ST. Louis Times: Four American
soldiers were found guilty of sleep
ing on duty and have been ordered
shot. That Is the finding and sent
ence of the courtmartial.
We fully understand and appreciate
the necessity for strict army disci-
pine. We fully realize the danger to
which comrades are exposed. We do
not underestimate the seriousness OF
the offense or the consequences which
might nave followed. We admit that
under ordinary conditions he OF
Tense is not only serious but outrage
Gus, especially when the possible re-
suits are considered. There should
be punishment for the offense, out
| should the punishment be death?
In Missouri and most of the states,
capital punishment has been aban-
doned and is no longer permitted. It
is fast disappearing in all enlightened
and civilized communities 1t is a
relic of the days of barbartsm. Exc
crrtion in the army is the same thing.
+! Time and again has some Slept
at the SWITCH "at the throttle o.
"at the wheel" and thousands of lives
have been endangered Int lost. In
nine instances OF ten, however,
there were extenuating circum-
stances, urged in favor of the unfor-
tunate individual who caused the dis
aster, and he was pftied rather than
punished. There are but few in
stances OF death sentences, even with
capital punishment prevailing.
Here we have foul brave American
hearts on foreign soil, fighting for
the liberty and freedom of the world.
Brave hearts they must be Or they
would never have donned the uniform;
volunteers, for the drafted men are
not yet abroad. Thousands Of miles
from home in a strange land. among
people Of a different tongue, sur.
rounded by ven stranger conditions.
Perhaps suffering from some physical
ailment, perhaps not acclimated, pei
haps tired, weary, worn and physical
Iy exhausted from the marches and
hardshfps OF the day, perhaps numbed
by the cold wind and weather. per-
haps chilled to the bone for the want
OF warm food and drink. perhaps
sluggish and dull by the continuous
hours OF service; perhaps dfsheart-
ened by grewsome sights and sur
roundings, sickened beyond the point
of endurance, with not enough life
left to ask for relief. and perhaps
drugged or paralyZed by fumes and
gases created and exploded and put
into circulation by the enemy. Not
an rmheard of thing. Who knows?
Who can tell?
And shall these brave boys die the
death of traitors? OF deserters? OF
spies or murderers? Gases come and
go and oftimes spend themselves be-
fore the victim RECEIVERS. The
trenches are filled with stenches,
the very soil reeks with foul and
vicious doors, sufficiently strong to
put the healthiest man to sleep. Con-
ditions cannot be imagined, much
less described, and with all that, it
must be borne in mind that 1t would
not be beyond the savagery Of the
ruthless and heartless enemy to have
fouled and dragged the atmosphere.
We do not know the boys or Their
names. We do not know the facts
and circumstances of their respective
cases. We do not know what prompt
ed the courtmartial in making such
a finding, but we do know the bar
barous, fiendish and inhuman manner
of German fighting n intrigue, and,
knowing it, we believe that there are
and must be e~Xtenuating circum-
stances which warrant the president
in setting aside the death sentence
and extending clemency to these four
brave American boys. American