The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-22
ANSELL ATTACKS
BAR ASSOCIATION
At Court Martial Hearing He
Saws Members Shut Their
Eyes to Truth.
REBUKED BY CHAIRMAN
Colonel Assails Generals Wood,
Scott and Chamberlain in
His Defence.


WASHINGTON, April 2l.-Lieut.- Col. !
Acknowledgement and chief figure in the
attack on the army disciplinary system.
accused the committee of the American
Bar Association to-day of having placed
itself under the domination OF the War
Department in Its investigation of milf
tary Justice and of shutting its eyes to
the truth. His assertion. made on his
appearance before the committee. was
promptly challenged by Chairman Greg
Dry. VINO warned Col. Ansell that he was
oversuspicious and ION the wrong track"
I'VE are not anybodys TOOLS" de-
clared Judge Gregory. II have practiced
law two and a half times as long as
Secretary Baker don't propose to SUR
| render my Judgment to anybody. II you
are for Justice this committee will strike
| hands with YOU"
Col. Ansell specifically attacked the
right of Martin Conboy of New York
TO sit on the committee. The relation
ship between Conboy and Major. Gen
| Crowder, Judge Advocate General, had
been such, Col. Ansell asserted. as to
make him "a stanch supporter" OF Gen.
| Crowder. Fer that reason. Col. Ansell
said, Mr.. Conboy should withdraw from
| the committee.
| Mr.. Conboy was not present at the
session, but Judge Gregory pointed oat
| that he and the ":her members Of the
committee had known Gen. Crow1c" and
respected him highly and added: 81 DO
not think that would influence my mind"
Survival of old British Code.
|
raignment of the court-martal system.
denouncing it as an un-American and
the practically unchanged survival OF
the old British military code adopted in
INA, when soldiers were the creatures
OF a sovereign or overload. The witness
was assured by Judge Gregory that he
might have all the time lie wished %
present his case or to call officers or
others whose views he wished to be pre-
sented Col. Ansell will continue to-
morrow with his argument. III did not
pass to-day beyond the Legislative his
tory of the Articles OF War, seeking 10
show that they have never been changed
substantially or brought into harmony
with American ideas Of right and justice.
Col. Ansell opened his hearing with !
prepared statement with he declared
his conscience required him to make
DtIOle he Nbulu Hictttu. 1llS dNkdth
upon the method and personel OF the
committee was contained in this docu-
ment
Declaring that he was the leading
opponent of the army court system and
had been subjected to military restric-
tons in his efforts to reform II, the
officer said the fact that the committee
at this rather late date" had asked him
to appear was significant to him. He
depressed regret that the committee did
not call him sooner in order that he
might have better prepared the case he
desired to present.
Military Justice Col Anse.l said
lis not being best served by the method
of investigation pursued by this COM
mittee. but on the contrary stands In d
fair way to suffer at your hands"
The witness declared that while mis-
own view was that the army court sys-
TEN was un-American and oppressive on
the other side were those In highest
military authority" who We're endeavor-
ing by the use Of the organized power
Of Government" TO make the people h.
leve that there was nothing in the sys
tenn to cause uneasiness. When he
launched his attack. the witness con-
tinued. the War Department through
the Judge Advocate General had sprun:
strongly to the defense OF the court
martial system. Hesaid"the committee
would gain nothing by "ayotling p
hearing" of such personal disa re emeIts
MS were necessarily part % the dis
, cussion
. 1t would seem natural that you at
the outset would have offered me the
, opportunity to be heard" he said land
reasonable opportunity TO have heard
those who share with me the views |
hold.
None OF this did you do. Instead you
have ignored me until the end of this
hearing. You have shut your eyes and
r deigned to regard me as an officer of
no special knowledge on this subject
With a single exception land tina,
perhaps inadvertent." Ansell continued
e all the witnesses who had been called
=. were on the side OF the War Depart
r ment. It has been apparent to me ever
e since the committee assembled that you
1 have taken up an attitude OF coopera-
= ton with the War Department"
l. He added that there had been fire.
quent conferences between tho commit
r tee and the Secretary OF War. the Chief
c If Staff, the acting Judge Advora Il
j General and other officials whose view.
: were "notorously" opposed TO those hG
held The committee had established
o such n relation ship with those defend
2 ing the present system, he asserted
e that those I'm opposition who previously
= had been denied fair consideration
d had little to expect