Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-03-21
BAKER ACCUSED
Of PURPOSE To
DESTROY CRITIC
Oregon Senator Attacks
War Secretary for De-
noting Ansell.
COURT MARTIAL EVIL
DUE TO TRIO HE Says

Washington, March 20. - Senator
Chamberlain, Of Oregon. chairman of the
senate military committee, made public
today, letter TO Secretary Baker. in
which he charged the war secretary with
being under the influence of reaction
aries opposed to changes in the army
court-martial system, with acting in bad
faith toward congress and with ordering
an investigation which the senator said,
in his judgment, was designed to destroy
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel T. Ansell,
''the man who exposed the injustice Of
the present system"
With his letter, Senator Chamberlain
gave out copy Of a telegram received
from Secretary Baker. now on an in
spection trip on the Pacific coast. de-
reply by Colonel AnselI to statements
made by Mr.. Baker and Judge Advocate
General Crowder. In response to a
message from Senator Chamberlain. ask
ing that the Ansell letter be published,
Secretary Baker telegraphed:
More than year ago l asked of the
military committees of both the senate
and house, legislation to correct the evils
of the present court-martial system. l
shall renew the request when congress
assemblies. There would seem to be.
therefore, no controversy on the merits
of the subject. Have not yet seen the
letter in question and cannot imagine
why my consideration of it on my re-
turn will not be time enough"
Court Martial Bill Fake, Says.
In his letter, Senator Chamberlain
said Secretary Baker was deaf to COM
plants" and was fencing on the sub
ject. He declared the bill drafted by
the war department to correct the court
martial system was not sent in good
faith to congress, but was simply de-
signed to allay public apprehension and
inquiry by the appearance of doing
something" The letter continued:
You supplanted the officer who had
seen fit to call your attention at the be-
ginning of the war to the necessity of
keeping the strictest supervision over
court martial proceedings by an officer
who contended that such supervision was
not necessary and that such supervision
would derogate from the power of the
commanding officer and destroy disci-
pline. You elbowed aside the one officer
who, even then, had the courage to con-
denim the system and the provision to
point out its intolerable results-General
Ansell-and took into the bosom Of your
confidence a trio of men who are pro-
nounced eactlonaries-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 so-called Investigation.
designed, in my judgment. to destroy |
the man who exposed the injustice of the
present system"
Bill More Reactionary, He Asserts.
In order that any further responsible
ity might be shifted to congress, the !
senator wrote, Mr. Baker presented a |
bill which, if he did not know, advisers
did. could not be passed The slightest |
Of the measure, he as
serted, will show that had it been en-
acted into law. it would have made the
system even "more reactionary, il pos
sible, than it is now
Senator Chamberlain SAID Colonel |
Continued ON y'aEc Three.)