The sun., 1919-04-04
BAKER Is ENRAGED
OVER ANSELL'S NOTE
Aroused When He Discovers
Court-Martial Letter He With
held Is Published.
ATTACKS CHAMBERLAIN
Calls Document "Welter Of
Abuse, Accusation and Vio-
lent Language"
spscid, Despatch 10 TBx Sun

special Despatch TO The Sun.
WASHINGTON, April 3--After refusing
to make public the letter OF Lieut.-Col.
Samuel T. Ansell former Brigadier-Gen
erel. indicting the court-martlal system
OF the army for gross abuses OF justice,
despite the earnest plea OF Senator
Chamberlain (Ore.). retiring chairman
OF the Senate Military Committee, Sec
rotary o. War Baker when he discov-
cred to-day that It had been published
got very mad and declared that the let
ter was "welter of abuse, accusation
and violent language"
The Secretary in his rage also at
tackled Senator Chamberlain, adding an
other chapter to the feud which has ex-
listed between these officials for years.
Copy Given to Chamberlain.
The letter written by Lieut.. Col. An
sell has been IN Mr.. Bakers possession
for some time and q copy of 1t was fur
nished TO Senator Chamberlain in conf
dence. The Senator sought telegraphic
permission from the Secretary of War to
make IL public as throwing additional
light on the court-martial injustices
rsctised In the army during the war
The letter was supplemental to the
testimony given by Ansell before Sena-
tor Chamberlain's committee weeks be-
fore, in which he described typical cas- es
of injustice. notably one where a private
was given a forty year prison sentence
for ''sassing' Lieutenant.
Two weeks ago Senator Chamberlain
made public a letter he had written to
Mr. Baker getting forth some of the
really terrible conditions brought about
by Army courts and at the same time
he gave the public the reply Mr.. Baker
sent him in regard to making the An
sell letters public. Mr.. Baker then
wired as follows:
Your telegram received. More than
a year ago 1 asked of the Military Com
| mites of both the Senate and House
legislation to correct the evils in the
present court martial system. l shall
renew the request when Congress re-
assemblies. There would seem 10 be
therefore no controversy on the merits
Of the subject
Have not yet seen the letter in ques-
ton and cannot imagine any reason why
my consideration OF It on my return VIII
not be time enough"
VIII Let People Judge.
Senator chamberlain thereupon sc-
cused Mr.. Baker OF fencing upon a
question which means so much to the
| tens OF thousands of enlisted men who
| sent system" Soon afterward Senator
Chamberlain left Washington for a trip
to Mississippi. On Mr.. Bakers return
from his inspection trip he did not
make the Ansell letter public.
When Mr.. Baker conferred with news
paper men to-day after these develop
ments he few into a rage--the FIRST
performance OF that kind since he has
been here-and dictated this statement
to his stenographer: -at
MY attention has been called to a
Newspaper account Of a very intemper-
alto speech by, Senator Chamberlain. !
have been Secretary OF War for three
years. During that time I have received
the most cordial and helpful cooperation
| from~the members OF the Senate Mill
tary Committee and the committee as a
whole. From Senator Chamberlain do
not recall that have ever received n
suggestion which was helpful or seemed
intended to be helpful.
Il am perfectly willing to let the peo-
pie of the country decide between what
the War Department has done In three
years and what Senator Chamberlain
has said in three years"
Awaits InvestiEator's Report.
Regarding the Ansell letter Mr.. Baker
! said:
| The important part OF this matter Is
the question OF military justice. Upon
that subject the committee Of tho Amer
lean Bar Association and various other
agencies are at work. Ny very earnest
desire Is to have every defect OF the sys-
| tenn discovered and remedied.
Tho welter Of abuse, accusation and
| violent language about personal differ
| ences between officers can only be prop
erly inquired into through the regularly
established agencies of the army. and
I can mako no comment upon these fea-
lures until I have received the report
OF the Inspector-General"
| The latter part Of this comment. taken
in conjunction with Mr.. Bakers wrath
! over disclosures which he had hoped to
keep from the public, are taken to indi-
cate that no effort will be spared &c
make Lieut. Col. Ansell feel the Score.
tary's displeasure.
or the Inspector Generals activities
In the Ansell matter Senator Chamber.
lain was fully aware two weeks age
when in his letter to Mr.. Baker he de.
clared that Ansell had been "elbowet
aside" and that "reactionaries' such a,
Major Gen. Crowder and the Inspector
General had been taken into the bosom