The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
Senator Chamberlain Charges
War Secretary With Fencing.
Says He Should Admit Evils of
Court Martial.


Chamberlain. chairman of the senate
military affairs committee, today sent
Secretary of War Baker letter charg-
ing that Baker is fencing, instead of
frankly admitting the evils of the
court martial system and cooperating
with congress to remedy these evils.
Chamberlain's letter was sent in re-
ply to a telegram received yesterday
from Baker. Bakers telegram was an
answer TO Chamberlain request that
Baker make public a statement by
Lieutenant Colonel Ansen, former
acting judge advocate general. An
sells statement was his reply to a
defense of the court martial system
issued by General Crowder and Secre-
tary Baker nearly two years ago.
In his telegram Baker said: More
than year ago l asked the military
committees of both houses for legis-
lation to correct the evils in the pres
ent court martial system. 1 shall re-
new the request when congress reas-
sembles. There would seem to be,
therefore, no controversy on the merits
of the subject. Have not yet seen
General AnselPs letter and cannot i'm
agine any reason why my considera-
ton of it on my return will not be
time enough"
Means Much to Men.
In reply to this Chamberlain said:
1T is painful to me to find you fenc-
ing upon a question which means so
much to the tens of thousands of en-
listed men who have suffered injustice
under the present system. Your pres
ent recognition of existing evils of the
court martial system is strangely ir-
reconcilable with your published state
mentS no more remote than March 10.
In that statement of warm approval
of the existing system, you seemed
blind to any deficiency
hamberlain then declared that be-
cause Ansell had had the courage to
attack the court martial system in
testimony before the senate military
affairs committee you elbOwed him
aside and took into the bosom of your
confidence a trio of men who are pro-
nounced ctionarieS-General Crow
der, the then acting chief of staff and
the inspector general, the last named
of whom is even this day engaged by
your order in a So-called investlga-
ton designed in my judgment to de-
stroy the man who exposed the IN
justice of the present system.
Referring to Bakers statements
that he had asked congress a year ago
to pass new law reforming present
evils, Chamberlain declared that
Baker knew the bill he submitted
never could pass congress. II it had,
Cham Derlaln said, 1t WOuIQ nave Hldue
the system worse than now. Cham
berlain charged Baker is now trying
to shift responsibility from his shoul-
ders to congress by accusing the lat
| ter body of failing to act on his ad-
vice This bill, if passed, Chamber
| lain said, would nave allowed some
subordinates in the war department to
| change the court martial system in
any way they saw fit, even to the ex-
| tent of substituting verdict of guilty
| for one of not guilty.
81 can hardly believe that that bill
was bona fide effort to reform the
| existing SYSTEM said Chamberlain.
Baker Could Bring Change.
Chamberlain declared that if Baker
really wanted reform, he has the
| power to institute it, but that he failed
to do so.
1.-The bill, If honestly submitted"
| declared Chamberlain, lis conclusive
evidence that you yourself are entirely
reactionary, or that, you have been
imposed upon and deceived by adj
| visors who are.
Whether you see it or not the
American people see and have the
! evidence that this system is bad. You
| have taken a terrible stand upon a
! subject which lies close to good Amer
| lean hearthStones. The American peo-
pie will not be deceived by self-serv-
| ing, misleading representatives and
statistics. Too many American fam
| lilies have made a sacrifice of their
! sons upon the altar of organized in
| iuStice"