The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-17
Kansas Executive Gives Evil
dence to House Committee.
Supports His Charges of Need
less Sacrifice of Men.
CALLS WAR Department HAND
Says the Casualty Announce
ment "Pettifoggy Document"
6,3OI Cases Passed Thru the
Triage of Division.

Washington, Feb. 17.-Evidence of
officers and men who fought with the
35th division, Kansas and Missouri
troops, in battles of the Argonne for
est, was presented to the house rules
committee today by Governor Allen of
Kansas in support of his charges OF
needless sacrifice of life because OF
lack of artillery and aircraft support
Total casualties of the 35th, the gov
ernor declared, exceeded 5000 despite
the war department figures.
I'm a very pettifoggy document" he
said, referring to the department. an
nouncement of majcr casualties, the
war department has stated all casual
ties totalled $4,000. These were the
major casualties but have been taken
by many people to be the total, leading
them, as the department intended, to
say that's not so bad
ment admits 1,733 dead and missing
in the 35th division, and to this must
be added 5000 that passed thru the
divisions triage. and 1,400 that went
thru other stations or directly to the
rear"
Governor Allen read a report of the
officer who was in charge of the
triage, or field station, Capt. Henry R.
Hoffman, a Chicago doctor, which
said:
"A total of e.sO1 cases of all kinds
passed thru the triage of the 35th
division"
Doctor Hoffman's report divided this
number among various other divisions
as follows: 35th. 1923: 37th. 81;
2Sth, 443; 91st, 79S; miscellaneous,
$50.
The committee is considering a reso-
luton introduced by Representative
Campbell. asking for an investigation
of the 35th divisions losses in the
Argonne. 7- e
Allen Reitcrates Statements.
Allen reiterated his statements made
in a recent speech when he declared
| that "men were slaughtered like sheep
because of the lack of artillery
He recently returned from France
where he was connected with the Red
Cross and the Y NJ. G. A. At the time
of the battle of the Argonne, he was
close to the front as worker.
Lack of artillery. airplanes. field
kitchens and horses were among the
specific complaints charged by Allen
which. he said, led to heavy losses of
the division.
Allen read letters and statements
from officers and enlisted men of the
division tending to bear out his charge
that men were needlessly slaughtered
| because of lack of equipment
I1uu FISttsS0NO AIrDltfsleS.
I'VE had white cloths to wave at the
/ 'airplanes, but there were no airplanes
to wave at one letter stated.
| Another writer declared there was
| not one hand grenade" in the unit to
| which he was attached.
"At no moment of the battle were
there enough planes to render any
! blame should be. attached to those
whose duty it was to furnish the sup
/ plies.
The men had no overcoats OF
! blankets and wore summer underwear
! They were obliged to lie on the wei
| ground for many hours without treat
ment. Because of lack of blankets and
! litters, their vitality was reduced 81
per cent
! Differs From March Dope.
| Aliens testimony differed material
ly from that given the committee g
few weeks ago by Chief of Staff
March. At that time March said the
division received adequate airplane
and artillery protection and had thret
days rations, consisting of compressed
foods. when they moved to the front
/ They had but little beef and no
anywhere nearly enough of that" SAID
| Allen Everything you touched in tn,
! war machine fell down somewhere ex
cept the raw man product.
4
their men had suffered the same per
! centage of losses as the Thirty -fiftl
division that France would have NJ
4, army left after the first year of th'
war"
/; Artillery Had No Horses.
I Governor Allen declared that com
ments of men who took part in tn
battle showed that the American
fought the German artillery with in
fantry arms" because j shortage o
horses had delayed the artillery move
, ment. that Germans were supreme ii
the air, sometimes flying SO low as T.
kill American wounded by their fir
and that American artillery fire ''fel
into its own lines, killing and wound
ing men because of lack Of aircraft I,
signal the artillery"
/ Because of inadequate anti-aiE Graf
guns, German planes were able to fl
low over the American lines rakin
them with machine gun fire, Allel
testified.
I Names of most of the men wer
given to the committee in confidenc
I by Governor Allen, because he said h
merely wished to present evidence a
ITO whether an investigation should b
made by congressional committee.
A Real Investigation Coming.
II imagine this is only the forerun
ner of a very comprehensive jnyesti
gation,'' commented Chairman POI
inquiring how it was possible for tn
Americans to win the battle whic
army officials said was one of tn
greatest victories of the war.
Everything yer there fell down ex
cept the raw man power" Governo
Allen said.
THE shortage of airplanes belong
to the mystery of the aircraft service,
continued the governor.
Attention of Governor Allen wa