The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-02-19
SAYS YANkS DIED
FOR Army WH|M
Gov. Allen Asserts /. S d.
vance Was WdnIop.
war INQUIRY IS LIKELY
An Investigation Into the Whole Con-
duct Of American Operations Pre-
dleted by Congressman Pou.

4 Washington, Feb. 10. Governor
Henry Allen, of Kansas, completed
the presentation of his request for an
army inquiry to the house rules COM
mittee, and the. committee, in eXecu-
tive session, decided the time was too
short to permit comprehensive in
quiry at this session.
Chairman Pou said general in-
quiry into the whole conduct OF the
war probably would be ordered by
the next congress.
All the American soldiers who fell.
killed or wounded, in the last three
days of the war. November 9, 10 and
IL, were sacrificed needlessly, Govern
or Allen told the rules committee in
continuing his testimony charging the
wanton sacrifice of American soldiers
In the Argonne forest battle.
Governor Allen submitted official re-
ports and letters from officers and en-
listed men to substantiate his charges
that thousands of lives were lost need
lessly in the Argonne battle because
the artillery did not support the in
fantry, because there was no assist
ance from airplanes and because Ger
man airplanes dominated the air with
out molestation, killing and wounding
: the American infantrymen.
He charged also that the American
in1antrymen were shot in the back by
Abelf own artillery and that proper
g,ol1e1l attention WAS lacking
te6ent4tiye Fess, OF Ohio, asked
Governor Allen about the reports that
the American army had continued its
sarmistice was declared, saying he had
been told by an officer that when one
company was told to advance the day
before the armistice, forty-six men
Instantly were shot down dead
II did not hear that report" replied
Governor Allen, "but any lives lost
In the last three days before the ar
mistice were sacrificed needlessly
9 Everybody along the line was conf
dent the armistice would be signed
for seventy-two hours before"
"Were there no attacks by the Ger
mans that would call for fighting or
loss Of life in those last three days?"
asked Representative Fess.
mo. the Germans did not attack
In the last three days. replied Cover
nor Allen. land did only such fighting
sas was necessary to guard their
front"
A letter which Governor Allen read
from Colonel Risteen. 10th infantry,
thirty-fifth division, telling of the con-
iiitions in the Argonne battle, made n
strong impression on the committee
The Risteen letter read as follows
"Some one ought to tell about things
over here: how we were stripped of
blankets and had summer underwear
and no overcoats for the Argonne
fight-during which wounded men al
most froze TO death No ambulances
for thirty-six hours, and thcn only six
to nine small ones to haul $500 wound
cd in six days These ambulanceS
frequently took as long as thirty-SX
hours to get TO the field hospital. and
many men died on the way. We finally
dreds I'm trucks We were ordered to
leave our kitchens benin, and they
sent us to the firing line fresh beef,
; cabbage and eggplant as food, and foi'
q long period after we came out of
the fight they sent us bully beef in
tin and other field rations which we
should have had in the fight"