El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-01-02

them OF items tending to pc ~ cut a
pacifist influence in the W4r Depart
mont. has been told by Maj. Gustav
G. Taussig, n Of the discarded Of
ficers.
Our discharge wal an honorable
discharge Major Taussig began,
speaking for himself and Major Frank
is. White, camp judge advocate, who
was dismissed with him.
THAT must be understood dis
tinctly before my motive in talking
is plain. SO far as my army re
cord goes, IL is as clean as a man
could desire, hence / have no person,
al reasons to actuate me ia disclos-
ing the inner workings OF the con,
scientious objector problem.
Charges War Department Kindred
Il do so only as a matter of pub
lie welfare, believing the American
people have a right to know what
stumbling blocks we're placed in the
way OF the army by the War De-
partment itself. Also, I desire to be
understood clearly as saying the War
Department alone, having no com
plant to make on any other part of
the government"
Major Taussig told OF the objector
problem as he came IN contact with
1t.
"As head Of the military police,
where ! was assigned upon attach
ment to Camp Funston, / came in
contact with the conscientious OBJ
lectors.
1.-THE directors who were defiant
and unruly were confined in the pro-
vost guard house. They were an IT.
religious class and very disagreeable
to deal with. The real religious OBJ
iectors gave little trouble. and / sell
dom came in contact with them.
1.-THE class in the guard house lost
no opportunity to defy military au-
thority, but we were helpless in
correcting them.
official Protection for Collectors
"a year ago + knew they were pro-
tected by the War Department off.
cials, Intentionally or unintentionally,
bnt effectively nevertheless.
Through regulations coming down
from the War Department, our hands
we're tied, and the worst of il it
was. the DIRECTORS knew just how
closely our hands were bound. They
were exceedingly wen informed
thrcue.l phamphlets and circulars
distributed among them, giving new
regulations as soon or sooner .han
camp officials received them.
They Haunted their War Depart
nent protection in our faces and
took great delight in doing SO. know
ing we could not expose the pacifist
eloisent in the Wal Department, vs.
We were Inferior officers tot9osa nro.
tect.ng the obstructionis!s.
Fonesaw Wrath From superiors
"Realizing protection was icing
iii en- the directors, | for one, felt
ce1i:fn there would be an efs ltualI
y ri king Of War Department WRATH
IN the first officer WI pave the
least excuse for ,,ccusa'!i1s If mis-
Treatment Of objectors
Knowing that, I used every effort
to give the DIRECTORS the kindly,
courteous treatment the War De-
partment demanded. The men under
me treated the directors as courte.
ously as red blooded Americans pos.
sibly could treat those whom they
knew were deliberately attempting
to undermine the morale of the army
Notwithstanding what we believ-
ed were successful efforts to keep
the 'parlor rules laid down
by the War Department in connec-
ton with the directors, we we're
threatened by the directors with
vengeance through Secretary Baker
and Secretary Keppel. Even their
wives visited us and warned us of
departmental revenge. Mrs. John
Brandon, an DIRECTORS wife, told
one day she would write to MIR,
and tell him her husband
mistreated,' ] explained we
we're abiding by every regulation re-.
her husand and she re-
Piled: 'Yon r not. have a let
,er from Mr.. Keppel. We know
where we are, and you will find out
know what I'm talking about.
Worst Directors From East
Some Of our worst ~objectors,
hose sent to Fort Riley and from
here transferred to Funston, we're
rom the Eastern camps. Seemingly
hey were the toughest propositions
II the entire objection party.
They positively would obey no
rider of any sort so long as 1t came
rom a soldier. If II were standing
n a door and a guard asked him to
tep aside to let him through, the
'b1ector would reply; I can't con-
cientiously do IT, No amount OF
leading could influence them.
III they were going to their mess,
nd a guard asked them to get in
me, they would fall on the ground.
ick their heels and scream. On
he road to the mess hall no one
ould speak to them or they would
rop to the ground and lay there 7,
Dreaming and kicking.
Resented Minor orders (,
Often they gathered IN the guard
enclosure, lying on fhe ground
} interfere with the change guards. (
We ordered them to exercise, and
yards had to push them around the !
u%ardhouse pen. Then we quit or
ering exercise and they ran and |
of their own accord. 4
III their food (the same as fur {
lshed to every fighting soldier) did I
suit their taste, they rattledl
leir mess kits for hours at a time
ld could not be stopped. 8
Worst, in my opinion, OF all Of \