The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-03-28

who were in the g%uardhouse awaiting
trial would refuse to line up for mess,
throwing themselves on the ground,
kicking and screaming. The object
ors set up a hunger strike, he said,
and ratified their mess kits for hours
at a time and could not be stopped.
Upton Sinclair Figures,
"In the midst of this condition."
Major Foster went on, 1--WE took from
a conscientious objector a circular
sent out by Upton Sinclair, socialist
leader, in which he reprinted a letter
from Newton D. Baker to the presi-
dent Of the United States, answering
the president in regard to a complaint
Sinclair had made of mistreatment of
socialists. The letter said:
II think, however, he should be in
formed that we are now doing abso-
lutely all that public opinion will stand
in the interest of conscientious OBJ
%jectors and others whose views do not
happen to coincide with those of a
vast majority of their fellow u
trymen."
"Mr. Baker was right. He was
doing all that public opinion would
stand in the interest of conscientious
DIRECTORS, and through his secret or
ders was doing more than public opin-
ion would have stood, had the true
conditions been known.
Joker Called for Reviews.
ut became evident finally that some
latitude must be allowed in dealing
with the obstructionists, so an order
was made permitting the trial of OBJ
j%ectors whose attitude in camp was
defiant or who were active in spread
ing propaganda. A joker, however,
was added in that the findings of
court-martial at all camps involving
conscientious DIRECTORS should go to
the war department for review.
1.-THE weight of that joker was APP
preciated by the DIRECTORS and by the
National Civil Liberties bureau, the
organization directing obstructionist
They flooded the camps
with circulars calling attention to the
fact that Secretary Baker was giving
the objector proposition his personal
attention. Every one of their bull
letlns showed their direct commune
cation with the war department
through Mr.. Keppel Gan assistant Sec
rotary of war;. The bulletin declared
Keppel advised the National Civ
IL Liberties bureau and DIRECTORS to
wait and that in time Mr.. Baker would
do the whole job up thoroughly for
all conscientious objectors.'
Pacifist Protection Continues.
"The DIRECTORS sentenced by the
general court-martial were sent to the
disciplinary barracks at Leavenworth.
but the pacifist protection did
not leave them. After serving four
months of their sentences one hundred
given their releases. The order
Secretary Baker was that they
should be honorably restored to duty
as soldiers and should be paid for
the entire time they had spent in the
guardhouse and the disciplinary bar
Immediately following their
honorable restoration to duty, the or
der read that they should be dis
charged. This is the history of the
accorded by the war depart
ment to the conscientious objectors."
Major Foster declared he and other
army officer had the highest regard
the religious %objector, whom he
said had been found willing to per-
'orm any noncombatant tasks assign
I'd them.
"In making this accusation," Ma
or Foster continued, II consider no
'umors, no supositions and no guesses,
out base it entirely upon my WI per-
;onal knowledge Of the treatment ex-
these obstructionists.