Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-31
PERSH|NG EXPLAINS
REFUSAL TO TESTIFY
Answers Investigators
Statements by Saying
Records Sent to US.
Mr.. BLAND is CAUSTIC

PARIS, August 30.-Following Gen.
Pershing's refusal to testify before
the subcommittee of three of the con-
gressional committee on expenditures
| by the War Department, two state
ments were issued here today.
! Representatives Royal c. Johnson
and Oscar E. Bland of the subcom-
| mittee expressed regret that there
should be a clash between the civil
and military authorities of the gov
eminent. In separate statement Mr..
Bland declared that Gen. Pershings
action was an example for the "indif-
all of the war by the War Depart
ment toward the wishes of the people
and their representatives.
Pershing States Reason.
Gen. Pershing, on being shown the
statements issued by the members of
the committee. said that all the ac-
tivities of the American expedition
airy forces were, of course, open to
| investigation. but that he found it
| impossible on the last day of his stay
| in France to comply with the request
of the committee, as all his records
had been shipped to the United States.
Joint Statement Issued.
The joint statement reads:
Subcommittee No. of the commit
| tee of expenditures in the War De-
partment was requested by mem bers
of the Senate and House and members
| of the full committee to have Gen.
Pershing testify on number of i'm
portant matters which the committee
| came here to investigate, among
which were the fixing of RESPONSE
! bility for the mistreatment of Amer
| lean soldiers in prison in France, his
views on court-martial laws and reg
ulatfons pertaining thereto, regula-
tions with reference to the burial of
| American dead and certain military
operations. particularly on November
10 and II. 1918.
AN outline of the early organiza-
| forces for the expenditure of funds
and the payment of claims also was
desired.
I'VE regarded it as important that
! the highest officer of the American
expeditionary forces give us the ben
eft of his intimate knowledge of all
| these affairs. Technically the Ameri-
can Congress may have no inquisi-
torial jurisdiction over American cit
liens when outside the United States,
refusal of an American citizen to rec
ognize that jurisdiction.
Gen. PerShing declined to testify
on the ground that his records were
not available. He was informed that
most Of the questions to be pro-
then declined to appear before the
committee and testify. He will later
be called to appear before the COM
mittee in the United States.
THE subcommittee has already ex-
| amined the Secretary Of War and the
chief Of staff concerning some of the
| matters referred to. but was told that
the information was in France.
1T is regrettable that there should
be even the appearance of conflict
at time when the world should be-
come normal and be governed not by
! armies or individuals, but by law"
Mr.. BANDS Statement.
Representative BANDS statement
reads:
"All I care to say personally about
Gen. Pershing's refusal to testify be-
fore the congressional committee
| and I speak for myself alone-is that
he and his Army are bigger than our
deputy sergea nt-at-arms of the House
of Representatives. and he, of course,
can avoid giving us the information
we desire. I think it is apparent that
the War Department has during the
entire war shown it's indifference and
contempt for the wishes of the people
and their representatives. and this is
only clear-cut, concrete example of
that sentiment.
For the time being we will try to
get along in our Investigations here
without Gen. Pershing's aid
Documents Shipped August IS.
Although Gen. Pershing said he had
no further comment to make upon
the incident, it was learned at his
headquarters that all documents of
the general staff were shipped to
Brest on August Is and were in the
hold of the transport Leviathan be-
fore he received notice that he was
expected to appear as a witness be-
fore the committee.
the visit of the committee was re-
ceived at headquarters on Thursday,
when the place was topsy-turvy with
packing cases filled with papers and
staff reduced to those Immediately
Connected with the Office of the COM
mander-in-chief, who are leaving
with him by special train tomorrow.
Gen. Pershing's engagements, it was
said by member of his staff, were
such as to make it impossible for him
to give the time necessary for the
hearing asked for by the committee.
Yesterday he lunched with Marshal
Petain and called on President Poin-
care. Today he saw Premier Clemen-
ceau, received a considerable number
of visits and paid large number of
social calls.
The multiple attentions he has re-
ceived from the French people during
his stay here, it is declared, have
piled up social obligations which are
occupying every minute of his time
to acquit before leaving.