The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-21
BY c.. c. LYON.
N. e. A. Staff Correspondent Who
Was with the y. S. Army in
. Europe

Was with the Y. S. Army in
Europe.
Thousands OF boys who fought in
France are now returE:E. ID America,
bitter in their complaints against what
RI q term thc injustice and severity Ok
court martial sentences.
Since nv own return home. numer-
Gus ca SeS in American training camps
have been called TO my attention.
4 number of officers with strong
democratic leanings have told me that
the court martial system is relic OF
hy-coue centuries and that now is the
time to change it.
Charges Made by Men
and Some Officers.
Y 1t is not up TO me to prove the court
martial system either good or bad, put
here are some of the charges that are
being made by enlisted men generally
and by some officers:
THAT charges are always preferred
against an enlisted man by an office;
and that these charges are always in
vestigate,i by another officer;
THAT it is automatic in the army
that the officer who brings the charges
is always right and the accused en-
listed man always wrong:
THAT the affidavit Of an enlisted
man against the affidavit Of an officer
in a court martial proceeding is worth
nothing: .-...l--r. ..- 81. -"e .s.f I'd
THAT the very atmosphere of. courts
martial is such that an accused enlist
cd man and enlisted men witnesses are
scared and cowed from the very begin
ming: H.r
THAT both enlisted men and Off
GERS hesitate TO testify in behalf Of the
accused enlisted man. fearing diSpleas.
urc OF the officer who has brought the
charges and those Officers who com.
pose the court: r. "t
THAT an enlisted man Frequently
finds it very difficult in securing the
services of some officer to defend him,
and then the officer is seldom, if ever,
a lawyer: ..
THAT the general air Of court mar
tials is that the accused is always gull
tys and that it is up to him to prove
himself innocent;
THAT court martial cases are not
prepared or presented in way calcu-
lated to protect the interests of an en-.
listed man; J
THAT the AVERAGE court martial
sentence is entirely too severe to fit
the offense charged.
The Case Of the Sergeant
and the Coffee Money.
OF the scores Of cases wherein the
unfairness and injustice Of army court
manials are claimed, which have been
called to my attention, I2Ndll cite only
q few as typical .-..--.--.---..s.,-. j. ~
A southern boy of good education and
family was sentenced to be dishOnOr-
dbly discharged and to forfeit all pay
ard allowances and serve two years in
an army prison. As sergeant he was
detailed to conduct number of men
from a training camp to an Atlantic
|port. The post COMMANDER, before the
party left, gave the sergeant money to
buy coffee en- route for the men. When
fhe returned to, the training calnD he
had a balance OF about $63 uneXpended
for coffee. Because he waited "a hours
before going to the office Of the! camp
cashier and turning this money in, he
was arrested, charged with fraudulent.
attempting to convert this money to
his own use. ~ r.
This Boy has spunk. and .
Carries His Case Up. As@
This boy, having more spunk thar
the average boy who faces cour mar
| tials, refused to accept the sentence
| and carried the case from one higher
authority to another until it reached
general Enoch Crowder, then judgf
advocate general at Washington.
In a long written opinion which
| have read General Crowder says:
1.-THE evidence of record in this case
fails to prove felonious intent on the
part of the accused at the time the
money was collected or any fraud II
obtaining possession thereof. In fact
quite the reverse is proven. AS the
record stands, therefore, the accused
" A. a = ~. DO