Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-04-26

Colonel Samuel II. Ansell, who in
lengthy preliminary statement ycstcr
day accused the committee Of having
placed itself under the domination OF
the War Department continued His
testimony today before the committee
OF the American Bar Association which
is conducting an investigation OF the
administration of justice in tho army.
Colonel hnscll reiterated his asser-
ton that the existing system was dc
rived from days when common sol
diers' were tho vassals OF the king,
and that 1t failed to recognize the sol
dicrs as citizens Of tho state and do
clarod 1t was tho natural result of
such system that an officer caste
should be built up. Declaring it n
fact that the enlisted man did not re
ccive the same consideration OF his
rights under tho system that officers
enjoyed
barred the colorcd youthI from the
great national training school at West
Point. The report continues:
SohoiSt hhSSii ti ouSu lbuL lliS oilS
remedy lay il writing into law the
guarantees Of the gifts of the sol,
der. While this is left to rcgulat-
ions TO be prescribed by the prcsi-
dent he said,it cannot DO effective.
"rhe altitude OF the army" no add
cd, has been into.crant toward those
methods necessary to justice. They
do not take kindly to legal restraints"
necessarily have arbitrary powers OF
command the officer asserted, it
should not go to the extent of per-
hitting them to hang men.
Congress cannot command tho
army" Colonel Ansell declared, "but
Congress should prescribe the rules
for its discipline. II you are going
to have any law worthy Of the name
you will not get it by committing 1t
TO departmental regulation. If it is
to be left there all this agitation will
have been in vain"
Lieutenant Anscll is right and yet
these same military officers at sun
rise without even notifying the Prcsi-
dent OF the United States who is Com
mander-in-Chief Of the Army and
Navy hanged thirteen colored
soldiers and Their action was re-
ported after tho men were dead and
beyond the hope OF a rcprieve What
they did then did not attract much ct
tontion and arouse much resentment
except among colored people. But
since that time white men have gone
tho same route and now n rcvulsion
OF feeling is setting in. "The same
measure We metc, the same shall be
measured to you again"
1t takes brave, heroic man to
take this position, while wearing the
insignia Of the regular army. The re-
port says further:
The officer, who was frequently in
terrupted by members OF the commit
toe to discuss involved legal questions
as they arose in his argument assert
ed that there had been "a strong Of
fort by the War Department to have
the people and perhaps this committee
believe that there was substantial
revision" OF tho AZ -icles. of war In
1916. 49,.
His attention WAS drawn to recent
by General Crowder, judge
advocate general showing that no
agreed that tho military code needed
These statements, Col
onel Ansell characterized as evidence
of "a change Of heart" on General
Crowdcr's part but he declared that
such statements by that officer or
Secretary Baker were mot made in
a way to assure ME as would favor
able report by, this committee"
This is virtually charging that the
War Department is endeavoring to
have the public and the Congress be-
lieve that the errors in tho military
procedures have been corrected while
as matter Of fact the injustice prac-
ticed Is as glazing as over.
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