New-York tribune., 1919-02-27
Special Board
Review All
W ar Penalties
Sentences Found To Be
Excessive Will Be Miti-
gated, Crowder Assures
Secret Baker Order Read
Camp Commanders We're
Directed to Use Moral
Suasion With Pacifists

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26.-Major Gen
eral Crowder, appearing before the
Senate Military Committee to-day at
resumption of hearings on the court
martial situation, said all sentences of
imprisonment imposed on men of the
army during the war, and found upon
review to be too severe, would be miti-
gated through the Presidents power of
remission.
General Crowder said within sixty
days the 5000 sentences imposed since
the beginning of hostilities would be
reviewed by a special board headed by
Brigadier General Samuel T. Ansell,
who was acting judge advocate general
during the war and whose testimony as
to severity of sentences led the COM
mttee to extend its investigation.
Steps toward mitigating the SEN
tences were begun, General Crowder
said, prior to the investigation by the
Senate committee. Virtually all the
men sentenced to dishonorable dis
charge and imprisonment already had
had the dishonorable discharge provi-
sion revoked. He added that 1000 men
sentenced to long terms at Fort Leav-
restored to duty in the last year.
Objects to Chamberlain Bill
The provisions of the pending Cham
berlain bill authorizing review by the
judge advocate general of court martial
sentences were opposed by General
Crowdcr, who said it would give the
judge advocate general authority to ad-
minister the entire system of army dis
cipline. He indicated that many times
the commanding officer in the field was
in a better position to review the case.
Chairman Chamberlain read into the
record of the hearing a confidential or
der on conscientious objectors which he
said was sent to all camp commanders
in the United States by Adjutant Cen
eral Learned at the direction of Secre-
tary Baker. The order as placed il the
record follows:
"The Secretary of War directs that
you be instructed to segregate the
conscientious objectors in their divi-
sions and to place them under super
vision of instructors, who shall be
specially selected with a view to in
suring that these men will be handled
with tact and consideration and that
their questions will be answered fully
and freely.
objecting to military service, these
men are not to be treated as violating
military laws, thereby subjecting
themselves to the penalties of the
articles of war, but their attitude in
this respect will be quietly ignored
and they will be treated with kindly
consideration.
Case of Repentance Cited
Il,
vited to case where 9 number of con-
scientious objectors in one of our d-
visions when treated in this manner
renounced their original objections to
military service and voluntarily of
fered to give their best efforts to the
service of the United States as SOL
diers.
1T Is desired that after the pro-
cedure above indicated shall have been
followed for sufficient length of
time to afford opportunity to Judge
the results derived from it, a report of
the action taken, and the results OBJ
tanned under these instructions, be
submitted to the War Department
by each division commander. AS a
result OF the consideration of these
reports, further instructions will be
issued by the Secretary of War as to
Nhe policy to be observed in future in
the case of conscientious objectors.
Under no circumstances are the in
structions contained in the foregoing
to be given to the newspapers"
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred E. Clark.
Of the Judge Advocate Generals office,
testified that only a few of the $1,000
or 10000 court martial verdicts handed
down during the war were criticised
as too severe