Evening star., 1919-04-03
ANSELL IN LETTER
ASSA|LS Mr.. BAKER
Secretary of War Is Held Re-
sponsibIe for Justice 'Sys-
tenn in Army.
DETAILS OF CONTROVERSY

flee Of the judge advocate general of
the Army is placed upon Secretary
Baker by Lieut.. Col. Anse!l, former
ac1ing judge advocate general. in a
letter written by him to the Secretary
of War March IL. 1919, in reply to
published statements of the SecretarS
and Judge Advocate General Crowder
attacking the position assumed by
Lieut.. Col Ansell with regard to re-
forms in cOurt-martial proceedings
The text of this letter has hitherto
been suppressed. although Senator
Cha berlain. chairman of the mill
tary affairs committee Of the Senate.
requested Secretary Baker TO make
the letter public Secretary Baker
refused to make public the letter ard
last Friday returned it to Col. Arsell
with the statement that it was mot
helpfuT and that ANY suggestion he
wants TO make he can make either
through military channels or directly
to me as he may elect"
Statement Regarding Crowder.
The New York Times today publishes
what purports to be the letter. Accord
ing to that article. the letter OF Col. An
sell charges that Gen. Crowder had at
first sided with him. and that when he
accused Gen. Crowder of change Of at
ing:
"Ansell. l had to go back on you.
l am sorry. but it was necessary to
do it in order to save my official repu-
tation."
After that. the letter asserts, Secre-
taiy Baker and Gen. Crowder met at
the Army and Navy Club in Washing
ton and Crowdel' was "upbra; ;ded" by
Secretary Raker. following which, ac-
cordins to Lieut.. Col Ansell, Gen.
CroWder said that. Inundated by such
lnputation, he went back to the
provost marshal generals Office. con.
suited some OF his friends, and decided
tlUn to oppose the Ansell opinion.
1t is obvious" says the Ansell let
ter, Gen. Crowder committed himself
to the opposing view, view which
he has ever thereafter maintained, out
of mistaken notion of the necessity
for self-protection and desire to
soothe his wounded pride"
Confession of Injustice"
In his letter, Col. Ansell says of the
system:
1t does injustice-gross. terrible.
injustice. Evidence Of
1t is on every hand to those who will
but see. The records of this office
reek @ with it The organization of the
ciemency board now sitting daily and
daily recommending clemency in a
hundred cases is a confession of it,
Clemency. however. can never face
the the Injustice done. In my. judgment
dnsh. tine army ny vii VIII never ne hold the place it
tlons OF our people until the machin-
cry for doing military justice be hu-
manized.
The statement Of the judge advo-
cate general is a dexterous effort to
divert public attention from the sys-
tenn of injustice. which he defends and
the paternity of which he proudly
proclaims, to mere personal differ-
ences which are not, or must soon
cease to be. OF public moment. When.
IN SO far as 1t Unnecessary for his pur-
pose for him to do 50. he discusses
the system, he becomes involved in
inextricable confusion and patent in
consistencies"
Col. Ansell insists that he had ap.
steps which he took while acting a
judge advocate general prior to the
development Of this controversy over
reforms. Discussing the change of at.
titude OF Gen. Crowder. the Ansell let.
ter says:
Il knew of no change of attitude
until l was advised in the depart
ment that he was preparing a brief in
opposition to the ofdce view (Col. An
sells view)."
Nearing End Of Service.
Col. Ansell says that he went to
Gen. Crowder. and continues:
He then added that he was nearing
the end OF his service that he could
not afford to be held responsible for
the injustice that had gone on, IL tho
existing law could have been con-
strued to prevent it. He further ad-
verted to the fact that fixing such a
responsibility upon him would infure
his career in this war.
upon my having told him that 7
was unable to see how he was re-
sponsinie Tor practice that had con-
on to say that the Secretary OF Wa
held him personally responsible. fhat
the Secretary Of War had seen him a :
the Army and Navy Club shortly after
! nad MED my opinion and had up
time that he had been judge advocate
general and permitting this iniustice
to go uncorrected: that the Secreta ~
nad particularly asked him how long
ne NAG been judge advocate general
seek remedy for the situation Witch
/ had presented.
Gen. Crowder then said that hu.
inflated by such inputation. he had
gone PACK to the provost marshal gem
erals ONCE. had consulted soms ~
his friends there and had decided tho
" was necessary for his self-nrotecs
tion to oppose the opinion this ofiice
had written and the EFFORT Il hs =
made to establish this novar aaS
that two of the officers there had
helped him to prepare the counter
m memorandum"
In conclusion. Col. Ansen.. ,e,,..
says: 'ef
"Of course. this subject oupht - h.
Investigated. The part that the sec-e
tary Of War has played in Il onght ~
be Investigated. The part thai the
Judge advocate general ha. nIa,,as
should be investigated. and I myself
do not ask to be excused from such a n
Investigation. but. on the other hand
welcome any fair and impartial ana
helpful investigation, but such an in.
vestigation. to be helpful and imn.r-
tial. must come from without the war
Department
There is a great principle in Tho -
sue here and I have preferred th,t
the discussion be confined to a djr-
cussion Of principle but it ;s nh-
vious to me now that ! arm under at :
tack. because ] stood for a princinle
because ! opposed the existing sys-
tenn, and because have EXPRESSED nv
opinion Of ii. that it is uniuat Nm,
American, and ought to be DESTROYED -
Special Dinner Dance