The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-03-22
BAKER
Of AIDING | " VI
AND PAC|F|sT
Major Dick Foster Makes Some
Sensational Charges
AIMED AT SEC OF WAR
Charged Him With Being Friend OF
conscientious obleetors" And OF
Pervertinu Acts Of Congress

Kansas City, No, March 2l.-Per-
fection Of q paciflst organization IN
such o clever manner that IL has
reached "the foundations OF the most
active department OF the government
the war department" was charged
in an address here today by Major
Dick b. Foster, member of court
martial nj Camp Funston, kas., that
tried 1875 alleged conscientious objec-
tors. He accused Secretary Of War
Baker with Intentionally or uninten.
tionaily aiding and assisting tho |.
w W. international Socialists and
humanitarians in their program OF
blocking construction OF the army by
extending and preventing the acts OF
Congress for the protection, comfort
and solace OF these obstructicnists.'
n his address, which he read, Major
Foster said
in giving you this story of con-
scientious objectors | want to assure
you | have no personal reason for
doing so.
II am an American citizen, an ex-
officer of the United States army
and as such feel that every Ameri-
can is entitled to know conditions
which surrounded the induction into
the army of the true conscientious
objectors and the false objectors
which included Industrial Workers
of the World, International Socialists,
anarchists and slackers
81 propose to show these elements
OF unrest have perfected an organiza
| tion IN such clever manner that they
have reached the foundations of the
most active department Of the gov
ernment--the war department"
Here the speaker brought his
charge that the secretary OF war had
I given aid TO the obiectors and ther
read paragraphs from what he belicv
ed were officials orders, providing
that all those having persona
scruples against war" should be con
strued as conscientious objectOrs.'
Major Foster continued:
Let me impress upon you wha'
these secret orders mean. 1t mean
that every soldier in the United
States army could have at any time
gone to his commanding officer ant
upon stating that he was opposed L
war, taken off his uniform and re
fused to do military duty"
l.a nhinpfnFl
who were In the guard house await
Ing trial throwing themselves upol
the ground, kicking and screaming
The directors set up a hunger strike
he said, and ratified their mess kit
for hours at q time and could not b.
J stopped. Major Foster went on:
In the midst Of this condition W,
took from conscientious obiector
circular sent out by Upton Sinclair
Socialist leader, in which he reprint
ed q letter from Newton d. Baker, L
the President of the United States
answering tho President in regard I
complaint Sinclair had made Of th
mistreatment Of socialists. That lo
Ter said;
I, "T think. however, he should b
, informed that we are now doin
absolutely all that public opinio
will stand in the interest Of conscIen
J ious obIectors and others who's
>. views do not happen to coincide wit
4 those Of vast majority Of their fe
E low countrymen.
"Mr. Baker was right lie was dt
ing all that public opinion woul
d stand in tho interest of conscientiou
9 objectors, and through his secrC
{ orders, was doing more than publ
opinion would have stood, had tn
true conditions been known"