The sun., 1919-09-16
TAFT ASSAILED FOR
ARMY TRIAL STAND
Senator Chamberlain Says Ex-
President Plainly Has Not
Studied Evidence.
ANSELL MAKES CHARGES
Declares Defence Of System
Was Inspired by Crowder,
Political Friend.
Special Despatch TO THE Sun.

WASHINGTON, Sept. Is. Senator
Chamberlain (Ore.) occupied an hour
to-day in replying in the Senate to an
article published this morning by former
President Taft, who as former Secre-
tary of War and former Commander In
Chief of the Army, had come to the de-
fence of the present court martial sys-
tenn which Mr.. Chamberlain for long
time has been attacking.
"If Mr.. Taft will investigate the sub
ject as a lawyer and familiarize himself
with the evidence being presented to the
Senate 1 doubt not he will entirely
change his opinion" Senator Chamber
lani declared. I'm this article he says
It is to be expected under any system
that errors will be made and injustices
committed, but that Gen. Crowder's
statistical analysis has proved that in
Justice results in very small number
of cases under the present system.
81 suspect that If Mr.. Taft knew all
the facts that have been developed he
would change his mind. He did change
his mind in the matter of the first draft
of the League of Nations which he en-
tirely approved when 1t was first sub
mitted here. Later he changed his mind
about II and offered series of amend
ments."
Mr.. Chamberlain read from an article
cabled from Paris by Representative
Royal johnson Is. d., chairman Of
the House subcommittee in Paris invests
eating the general subject of military SEN
tences. In his cable comment Mr.. John
son declares that the treatment of mill
tary prisoners in and around Paris dur
sWaa- l-NN - = o
undoubtedly brutal in the extreme"
No Chance to Appeal.
were court-martialled and sentenced to
death in Texas on charges that merely
involved some unimportant infractions
of camp rule" said Mr.. Chamberlain.
I'm their case II will not do to say that
the right of appeal and review assured
them against injustice, for the sentence
of death that was imposed on them was
carried into execution within forty
eight hours. Before the papers could
reach Washington for review these men
were dead.
Then there is the case of the four
young men In France, the first sentenced
to death by court-marital there. They
were all boys under IS years of age and
were charged with sleeping on post. 1t
is true that this is one Of the most
serious offenses a soldier can commit,
and unless the circumstances that sur
rounded their cases is considered the
ttntences might be justified But a re-
view of the facts in the case show that,
although 1t was not brought out in their
trials, these mere boys had been worked
to utter physical exhaustion. When
the papers reached the War Department
for review Gen. Crowder, the Judge
Advocate General, plainly felt some
twinges of conscience about sending
them to their death.
But 1t is not true as has been alleged
that he made efforts to save these boys
from their fate. What Gen. Crowder did
was to send memorandum on the sub
tect to the Chief OF Staff in which he
intimated misgivings about the justice of
the sentence, but urged that a conference
of the authorities be held in order that
they might present a united front of
the department. which meant that the
department should unitedly stand for the
execution OF the death sentence and to
dissuade the President from extending
clemency.