The sun., 1919-03-22
BAKER AIDED I.W.W.,
ARMY MAJOR SAYS
Acts of Congress Pervert-
ed in Draft Instructors
Favor, He Charges.
SECRET ORDERS ISSUED
Civil Liberties Bureau Accused
Of Helping Men Get Pacifist
Protection.

kANsAs CITY. Mo-. March 2l.---secre-
tary OF War Baker was accused directly
OF aiding and assisting the l. W. w,
International Socialists and Hunpani-
tarinns In their programme OF blocking
the construction Of the army" by Major
Dick d. Foster. member Of the general
court-martial which tried 1875 alleged
conscientious directors at Camp Fun
ston. in an address before the City
Club here to-day.
Il will give you the facts" Major
Foster continued, after reciting the ac-
cusation. and you may draw your own
conclusions as to whether Secretary
Baker Intentionally took the role OF
paciflst or unintentionally aided and
abetted them by failing to realize the
gravity OF the situation.
I'm making this accusation base It
entirely upon my personal knowledge,
gained from official War Department
orders and communications, and the
personal knowledge OF obstructionists
gained while acting as a member Of
the general court-mrtial Of thirteen
Majors and Captains, before whom APP
proximately 1876 directors came for
trial"
Secret Orders issued.
The speaker cited alleged secret or
ders issued by the War Department OF
which the public knew nothing. he said.
but OF which the obstructionists were
well informed as one process OF "oI-
tending the provisions Of the Congress
sional act to the advantage Of the OBJ
jectors"
Local draft boards" Major Foster
said, had received instructions to In
duct into military service and to send
to army camps all men between the
nj arH MN
however. an inner working OF the mill
tary programme. Directors OF all
classes found protection awaiting in ex-
tensions of the act OF Congress by secret
orders and every man who showed any
disinclination toward military service
found we'll organized and well
promulgated propaganda of the obstruc-
tionists awaiting that supported him.
Bulletins and pamphlets from the
National Civtl Liberties Bureau OF New
York city were semi-secretly pro-
Inulgated among the drafted men upon
their arrival In camp. These bulletins
were arguments against military ser
vice and contained detailed instructions
rs TO how the drafted man might avail
himself OF pacifst protection.
Army Omcers Held to Secrecy.
Confidential letters and bulletins
were sent to commanding Generals Of all
National Army and National Guard
cantonments and camps. the very nature
OF which prohibited any officer in the
United States Army imparting to the
public their contents. Each confidential
order or bulletin contained the closing
graph:
Under no circumstances should these
instructions be communicated to the
newsps pers.'
Public opinion no doubt was respon-
sible for the secrecy OF these instruc-
tions az they were Of a nature which
would have been revolving to the Ameri-
can public had they known the full
facts.
zone OF the first of these secret
any man who chose to refuse military
service In part It read:
with reference to their attitude
of Directing to military service these
men are not 10 be treated as violat-
ing military laws. thereby subjecting
themselves TO the penalties OF the
articles OF war. but their attitude In
this respect will be quietly ignored
and they will be treated with kindly
confederation
Officers OF the army were dunn
founded that the War Department should
order violations OF military laws to be
quietly ignored and that the violators OF
the law be treated with kindly consid-
Grafton"
Major Foster ut his own request got n
discharge from service at the time Gen.
Wood left Camp Funston to go to Chi
cago TO take command OF the Central
Division.