Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-12
LAW
 DISPUTE |S
 REOPENED
Ansell Submits Letter to Banker Answering Charges of Crowder in Controversy
Gould Declares Demotion of Former General Caused
 Solely by His Testimony
By Review Leased Wire)


 WASHINGTON. March 11-Eeut- enant Colonel Samuel T. Ansell, for mer acting judge advocate general, submitted statement to Acting Sec retary Crowen toGay in reply to the letter of Major General Enoch H Crowder, judge advocate general, to Secretary Baker on the controversy over the administration of military justice Because of certain references concerning him made by General Croyder. Colonel Ansen asked that his statement be given the same publicity as that of the judge advocate general
 Colonel Ansell's statement was not made public Soon after it was sub mitted, Representative Gould of New York, gave out copies of a letter he wrote Secreatry Baker today regarding the discharge of Colonel Ansen from his wartime commission as a briga- dier general. Representative Gould told the secretary he was unable to escape tn econclusiOn that the war de- partment had deliberately and ruth lessly adopted this method of punish ing public spirited officer whose sole offence was against a powerful and selflcentered clique in your depart ment, in that he answered a summons which he could not decline, and told the congress of the United States the truth about a matter it was clearly the duty of congress to inquire into.'
 Expect No Publicity
 Many officers regard it as unlikely that Colonel Ansell's reply to General CrOwder will be made public until Secretary Baker, now on a trip of inspection of army camps with Gen eral March, chief of staff, has been consulted and some officers doubt that the department will even then further air a controversy between General Crowder and a subordinate officer, particularly in view of the fact that the whole subject has been submit ted to the Inspector general of the army, Major General John L. Cham berlain, for investigation Colonel Ansell himself, cannot make public his letter without rendering himself liable to disciplinary proceedings
 Brigadier General Edward A. Kre- ger, designated as acting judge advo- cate general, is due at New York { Thursday on the transport America. His arrival will permit General Crowder to start for Cuba to take up the work of advising the Cuban prssf- dent and government in the pending revision of the elections laws and sys- tenn on the island General Crowder plans to sail Saturday.
 Acts as Grand Jury
 The scope of the investigation being conducted by General Chamberlain has not been disclosed. the only infor- nation in regard to it which has yet reached the public being the brief reference in General Crowder's recent letter In ordinary practice. the in- spector general acts as military grand jury filing, after investigation, recommendations that court martial proceedings be instituted in cases where disciplinary action is deemed advisable.
 It also is the duty of the inspector general to make general investigatiOns on questions referred to him and Gen. eral Crowder's language might merely mean that facts as to criticism brought against the military justice system, charging undue severity, are to be marshaIled for Secretary Bakers in formation. rather than that the con- duct of any individual officer or off ! cers is to be examined.