The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-26
HOT SHOT
FOR BAKER
Army Officer Makes Bitter At
IS tack on Secretary Of War
Baker.
CHARGED WITH FAvoRING..
/. W. W. AG1TATORs
Sensational Speech Delivered at
Kansas City. Charges
Denied

Of a bacifst organization in such
clever manner that it has reached
711fhe foundations Of the most active
department OF the. government-the
war department" was charged in an
address here today by Maj. Dick 3.
Foster, member of courtmartial at
Camp Funston. Kan, which tried a35
alleged conscientious objectors. He
accused Secretary Baker with "intcn-
tiona:!y or unintenticnally aiding and
assisting the Industrial Workers Of
the World, international Socialists and
humanitarians In their program Of
Blocking Of the army by extending
and perverting the acts Of congress
5 for the protection, comfort and solace
: Of these obstructionists.'
In giving you this story Of con-
scientious objectors want to assure
you have no personal reason for
doing So" Major Foster declared in
his address, which he read.
"I, an American citizen, an eN
officer Of the United States army, and
as. such fee! that every American is
surrounded the induction into the
army Of the true conscientious OBJ
5ecto1s and the false obstructionist
Dbjectcrs which included Industrial
Workers of the World, international
Socialists, anarchists and slackers.
propose to show these elements
Of unrest have perfected an organiza-
ton in such clever manner that they
have reached the foundations of the
mos active department Of the gov
ernnfent-zthe war department"
- Here the speaker brought his
charge that the secretary Of war has
read paragraphs from what he de-
caared we're ofaciiase4a =erders- pfevidifss- 1
that all those having personal scru-
Pies against war" should be constru-
ed as conscientious objectors."
zssSt.I1et me impress on you what these
secret orders mean Major Foster
continued. "It meant that every SOL
dier in the United States army could
have at any time gone to his COM
Tnand;ng officer and upon stating that
he was opposed TO war. taken off his
HiAger1n and refused to do military
service.
The officer related how cbjectocs
who were in the guard house await
ing trial would refuse to line up Tor
mess. throwing themselves on the
ground, kicking and screaming. The
objectors set up hunger strike he
said. land <ratrled their mess kits for
hours at time and could not be
stopped
I'm the midst Of this condition,
Major Foster went on, I'VE took from
a conscientious o:ojector a circular
sent out by Upton Sinclair. Socialist
leader, in which he reprinted letter
from Newton D. Baker. TO the presi-
dent Of the United States, answering
the president in regard to a COM
plant Sinclair had made OF mis-
treatment of Socialists. That letter
said:
81 think, however he should be
Informed that we are NOW doing ao-
soiutely all that public opinion will
stand in the interest Of Conscientious
cbjectors and others whose views Go
not happen to coincide with those Of
a vast majority of their fellow coun-
trymen.'
.-Ndr. Baker was right. He was do
ing all that public opinion would
stand in the interest OF conscientious
objectors and through his orders was
doing more than public opinion would
have stood had the true conditions
been known"
Major Foster continued:
..The objectors sentenced by the
general court-lartial we're sent to the
?,
Kan, but the pacifist protection cd
not leave them. After serving four
months of their sentences 100 OF
them were given their releases. The
order of Secretary Baker was that
they should be honorably restored to
duty as soldiers and that they would
be paid for the entire time they had
spent in the guard house awaiting
trial and the time spent in the discip-
linary barracks. Immediately follow
ing their honorable restoration to
duty, the order read that they should
be discharged
Major Foster declared he and other
army officers had the highest regard
for the religious objectors. whom. he
said. had been found willing 70 per
signed them.
81 will give you the facts Major
Foster continued after reciting the
accusation, "and you may draw your
own conclusions as to whether ne in
tentionally took the role of pacifist o;
unintentionally aided and abettec
them by failing to realize the gravity
<nf the situation
"In making this accusation" Ma
jor Foster continued. Il bose it en-
tirely upon r.y personal knowledge o:
the treatment extended these obstruc
tionists. This knowledge was gained
from official war department orders
and communications and the person
! al knowledge of obstructioniSt&
& seined while acting as one mc:..bcl
J5ff, Il 10 a.