The Washington herald., 1919-02-21
GENERAL TRAUb
DENIES u. s. FIRE
KILLED YANKEES
Praises Men for Success
Achieved in Battle Of
Argonne Forest.
NEAR CLASH IN PROBE
Thirty-6fth Division Not
Slaughtered, Commander
Tells Rules Committee.

Emphatic denial that men of the
Thirty-fifth army division were
slaughtered by the misdirected fire of
their own artillery in the battle OF
Argonne forest. was made before the
House Rules Committee, yesterday,
by Mai. Gen. Peter + Traub. who
commanded that division of Kansas
and Missouri National Guard troops
in that battle.
Notwithstanding his voice was
husky from the effects of being
gassed FIVE times during the fighting
N France, Gen. Traub painted vivid
picture Of the Argonne battle before
the House committee and eulogized
the men under his command for "ac-
compIishing in three days what the
French had failed to do in three
years.
Charges made by Governor Henry J.
Allen, OF Kansas. who was in charge
Of Y. NJ. c. A. work with the division,
in a speech before the Kansas legisla-
tUre and reported early this week be-
for the House Rules Committee that
Americans were killed by their own
artillery fire. that the wounded were
neglected, that the troops were i'm
properly clothed and poorly fed and
that the whole military structure fell
down We're denied in toto by Gen.
Traub
Raises Issue of Veracity.
The issue Of veracity between
Governor Allen and Gen. Traub
threatened to arise at one time.
Representative Campbell. Of Kansas.
author of a resolution directing
charges, had asked Gen. Traub what
he cared to say about these charges.
But who makes these charges"
asked the general.
Governor Allen replied Repre-
sentative Campbell
But Governor Allen wasn't there"
reJOined the general
Reminded that Governor Allen
claimed to have been an eyewitness
of the battle. Gen. Traub explained
that even before the San MihieI
fight, which preceded the battle Of
the ArgOnne. he had directed that
Governor Allen and his Twenty-Five
Y. NJ G. \. assistants go to the rear.
Had no Business There.
Possibly Gov. Allen came up dur
in- the battle" said Gen. Traub. but
officially he had no busi.ess there"
G'n- Traub replied to the charge
that the losses Of the division Were.
ahnOrmally and unnecessarily heavy
hE declaring the losses were wOnde--
fully low" when tn" fact was taktI
into consideration that for five da.s
and nights the division fought
asainst the best the Boche had" and
the results achieved which included
penetration of the enemy's lines n
distance of 5I2 miles. the capture or
l.rob prisoners, Il cannon and A. ma
chine guns
The fighting was in the open almost
all the time. Gen. Traub said: in fact.
he regarded the position held by tn,
Thirty-hfth a the most exposed on
the battle line. He said the best in
formation he could get was that his
division lost go killed and 400 wound
cd. the large majority Of whom Were
only slightly wounded. He compared
this with Grants loss of 1000 men fr
ten minutes at Cold Harbor. ''whicn
accomplished nothing. while we ac.
Compltshed very great deal" he do
Clared-
Not American Guns.
When Representative Campbell
asked specifically about the report
that men Of the Thirty-ffth were
killed by their own artillery fire, and
that an officer sent back word to For |.
Gods sake. Iengthen the barrage,"
Gov. Allen replied that he was in that
barraso. and that possibly 4 half
dozen shells fell on the hill where the |
Americans were
But they were not from American
guns, ne declared. He asked to be
excused from going further into this
matter.
As to the charges that the men were
not properly clad. were poorly fed and
that the wounded were allowed to lie
for hours. Gen. Traub assured the
committee that everything was done
that it was humanity possible to do.
l assure you that in the \. +. F.
the wounded and sick received the
i,rst consideration and the best care
that was possible under the circum-
stances" he said.
Good Lord, gentlemen" he ex-
claimed. 1T was war. This wasn't
maneuycrs where YOU touch a man
and tell him he is wounded"
Praises Mems CournEr.
Cen Traub praised the courage
and spirit Of the men of Kansas and
Missouri under his command. Never
was there finer body of men any-
where than I had the honor to com |
mand. They were a wonderful lot
OF soldiers who asked only to know /
what to do. and they did it and did
ii we'll" he said.
or Gen. Pershing. his staff and the
common soldiers, Gen. Traub said:
The winning of this war was a I
FNWUW q
country was unprepared. The way
the thing has been handled nv Cen |
PershinE and his staff will be a
marvel for all time. They have done
their work in most marvellous fash |
ion What the American peopIe
ought to do is to sing peans of
praise to the American soldier for