Arizona republican., 1919-03-01

tcipated in court martials will be called to defend themselves.
 General Anser said that the existing system was 'intolerable" and "atrociously bad" nficting upon soldiers long terms Of imprisonment and even the death penalty for comparatively trivial offenses He said he had attempted to modification of the system but his superior officers, backed by Secretary Baker had refused to permit the system to be humanized.
 Said General Ansell:
 The sentences imposed for slight offences by the court-martal have shocked every sense of justice, said General Anscll They have reached the heights of injustice The sentences in many instances bore reasonable relationship the offenses committed
 For forty years the army has been cursed with red tape in it's court martial proceedings. Terrible njustces have been inflicted upon small offenders The whole system is
 "I realize that l arraigning institution to which belong But doing it so that ample justice may be done the men in the rankj We need more humanity in judgment of their offenses We have not shown it. For the sake of our and their families must put end to this cruel system, and we must do it at once
 The general was asked for comparison between the American count martial methods and those of the armies of other nations. He said they much harsher than those of Great Britain and France In fact. he said, they harsher than except the armies of Russia, Prussia and spaIn.
 To illustrate the situation that exists, he told of the following cases. among many others:
 The death penalty was imposed upon American soldier in France who had pleaded guilty to charge of refusing to obey an order to drill The soldier pro- tested that he ill and physically unable 10 obey The military authorities in France insisted cation of the sentence but the saved by sxecutivS cemency.
 X court martial sitting in this country ordered the death penalty inflicted upon a soldier who to the bedside of dying father without He returned duty soon his father died. The saved by interference from Washington.
 General Ansell related the story of boy kitchen police who became involved in quarrel with paDy lieutenant The quarrel ended by the boy tell ing the lieutenant to go hell. is admitted that the language was unparliamentary and contrary to established rules of discipline but the by the court martial to forty years imprisonment, seemed harsh inasmuch the quarrel started by the officer. The sentence afterward modified to i'm prisonment for ten years.
 The following comments upon this testimony offered according to the Record:
 Any system that would impose such sentence as that upon the boy you speak of is un-American" commented Speaker Thomas Tt would make bolshe- wiki out of the relatives of a to say that the officer who would act that to a soldier is damned fool
 You don't want that to go upon the record?" sug- sested Senator Chamberlain.
 Yes I do,r insisted Senator Thomas, hotly. 'I say that officer a damned fool and ought himself to have been t-marialed. Any imposing such a sentence ought to be court -martialed, too. It is easy to sec why in peace times We cannot get men to go into our army
 The general related in detail the of young soldier who hsme without leave 10 his dying father He hurried back to camp as his father died and was sentenced to death. The sentence not carried out because Of executive clemency.
 ''You should have court martaled the court mar tial." said Senator Knox.
 The court martial couldn't the human facts behind that case" said General AnseL
 ''Whatever became of that boy?' General Ansen was asked. He didn't know
 His mother probably has joined the hol5heviki' said Senator Thomas.