The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-03-22

He accused Secretary of War
Baker with Internationally or un-
Intentionally hiding and assisting
the international Workers of the
World, international socialists and
humanitnrians in their programmes
of blocking construction of the
army by extending and pervert-
ing the acts OF Congress for the
protection, comfort and sonnce Of
these Observation-Disclosures
I'm giving you this story of COLI
scientious DIRECTORS ! want to assure
you | have no personal reason for
doing So" Major Foster declared in
his address, which he read.
II am an American citizen. an ex-of-
ficer of the United states army, and as
such feel that every American is en-
titled to know conditions which sur
round the induction into the army of
true conscientious Collectors and the
false conscientious directors which In
cluded Industrial Workers of the
World, international socialists, anar-
chists and slackers.
II propose to show Nthese elements
of unrest have perfected an organiza-
ton in such a clever manner that tiie,'
most active department of the govern
ment-the war department"
READS SECRET ORDER
Here the speaker brought his charge
that the Secretary of War had given
aid" to the directors and then read par
agraphs from what he declared were
official orders providing that all those
having personal scfuples against war
should be construed at conscientious
objectors."
LET me impress on you what these SCI
ct orders mean,y Major Foster con-
tipued ut meant that every soldier in
the United States army could have at
any time gone to his commanding officer
and upon stating that he was opposed
to war, taken off his uniform and re-
fused to do military service"
The officer related how DIRECTORS who
were in the guardhouse awaiting trial
would refuse to line up for mess, throw
ing themselves upon the ground, Kick
ing and screaming. The DIRECTORS set
up a hunger strike, he said. and ratified
their mess kits for hours at a time and
could not be stopped.
I'm the midst of this condition." Major
Foster went on, I'VE took from COM
scItntious objector circular sent out
bv UPTON Sinclair, socialist leader, IN
which he reprinted letter from Newton
Baker to the President of the United
States. answering the President in re-
gard to compiaint siaciair had made
Of mistreatment Of socialists. That let
ter said
QUOTES BAKER LETTER
81 think, however, he should be in
formed that we are now doing absolutely
ali that public opinion can stand in the
interest of conscientious directors and
Others whose views do not happen to
coincide with those Of q vast majority
of their fellow countrymen.
.'Mr. Baker was risft- He was doing
ali that public opinion would stand in
the interest of CONSCIENTIOUS directors.
and through his secret orders was doing
more than. public opinion would have
stood had the true conditions been
Known Major Foster continued
.The directors sentenced by the gen
eral court martial were sent to the dis
ciplinary barracks at Leavenw orth. Kas..
but the, pacifist prSteetion did not leave
them. After serving 4qnr months Of their
sentences. 100 of G,tpt wer~ given their
releases.
1.-The order OF SECRETARY BAKER was that
they should be henorably restored 10
duty al soldiers and that they would be
paid for the entire time they had spent
in-the guardhouse. Awaiting trial an: