The sun., 1919-10-08
GEN. CROWDER WINS
IN SENATE, 40 TO II
Chamberlain Makes Bitter At
tack on Administration of
Military Justice.
CITES FLAGRANT CASES
Wadsworth and New Defend
Father of Selective Draft
System.
speoiai Despatch 10 TIE. Sun,

WASHINGTON, Oct Tine cehaee
passed to-day the bill conferring tne
rank of Lieutenant-General upon Enocn
Crowdet by a vote Of 40 to IL, but not
until after Senator Chamberlain (Ore)
roundly attacked not only Gen. Crowder
but Cen March, Chief Of STAFF, and sec
retary of War Baker as we'll
Senator wadsworth IN. ", chairman
of the Senate Military Committee. ana
Senator New (Ind.) spoke In defence Oh
Gen. Crowder after the Chamberlain at
tack. In his speech Senator Chamber
lain had no hope of changing any Votes
but desired merely to voice his COM
plete disgust with the administration
of army justice during the war.
Senator Chamberlain objected to Gen.
Crowder being singled out to be made
Lieutenant General, and offered an
amendment naming a number OF other
officers who now hold with Gen.
Crowder a rank of Major-General. This
was defeated without roll call. Inc
Senators who voted against the bill on
the final roll call were Bankhead (Ala.)
Chamberlain (Ore.), Dial Is. CDi Gay
(La.), Gerry (R. -. Harrison miss >
La Toilette (wis.). Owen (Okla.) },
Shields (Tenn.). Trammell (Fla) ana
Williams (Miss.).
Senator Chamberlain attacked tne
clatm that Cen Crowder really ortgi-
mated the draft law. He insisted that
it's successful administration was largely
due to the civilian army assistants.
Then he attacked the administration OF
military justice under the direction OF
Gen Crowder.
Old System Kept In Force.
'T charge" said Senator Chamberlain,
that II was determined by the Secretary
of War and Gen. Crowder that by fair
means or by foul they would keep In
force the old system of military justice.
And I will call in testimony to prove
that charge their own handwriting.
Senator Chamberlain occupied much OF
the legislative session in his denunciatlon
OF what he called the military hierarchy
In connection with the administration of
the court-martial system. He began by
reviewing the charges that had poured
in upon Congress during and after the
war, concerning the excuses of the mill
tary justice system and the extreme PEN
alties which were imposed upon soldiers
under II.
lie declared that when these com
plants had attained such volume that
they could no longer be overlooked the
War Department announced that 1t had
sent an officer TO France in behalf of
the Department, who was to serve as a
representative of the Judge Advocate
General in reviewing the court-martial
cases.
This action. Senator Chamberlain de-
clared, was intended to make the pub
lie believe that provisions had been es-
tablished for y mode of appeal from the
oourts-martial that would insure against
the extreme rigors and injustices of the
system. But as a matter Of fact, the
Senator declared, there was no such
intention, and the sending of Gen. Kreger
to France TO act in such reviewing
capacity was mere canoufiage."
Sees Proof in CrOwder Letter.
In support of this charge the Senator
road letter which Gen. Crowder wrote
to the Judge Advocate General on Gen.
Pershing's staff in France.
Gen. Bethel had been sent to France
to review and give advice in the court
martial cases, and, Senator Chamber
lain said. Gen. Pershlng was displeased
with this arrangement. Accordingly
Gen. Crowder in April, 1918, wrote to
Gen. Bethel explaining the situation.
This letter Senator Chamberlain read.
Gen. Crowder explained that appar-
emily there had been many defects in
the administration of military justice.
that the country was excited over the
charges that had been made and that
law to provide for form OF appeal
Therefore. It was necessary for execu-
tive action to be taken.
Think OF that!" exclaimed Senator
Chamberlain. Gen. Crowder writing as
the reason for taking this action. that
there was threat Of Il Congress in
vestigation. and consequently in the ex-
listing state OF the public mind il was
necessary to make it appear that some
form OF appeal was being provided. Was
ever a more outrageous proposal com
mltted to paper? 1t was intended to
deceive the people and the youth of the
country who were fighting for their coun-
try. and to make them believe they were
getting something they were not getting
at all.
Rank IujuStice Continued.
But the bad condition IN the admlnis-
tration Of military justice continued
Despite the censorship, soldiers were