Arizona republican., 1919-04-08
COURT MARTIAL CRITIC NAMED
 T0 FIND CURE
Secretary Baker In Instruct ing General Ansell to Draft Amending Bill Takes Occasion to Admin ister a Rebuke
Republican A. p. Leased WIre1

WASHINGTON, April 7.-Lieuten ant Colonel Ansell, former acting judge advocate general and one of the leaders in the controversy over courts martial procedure, has been directed by Sec retary Baker to prepare and submit bill which in his opinion would correct deficiencies in the existing military justice system.
 The secretary's order under date of April 5, was made public today by the war department. At the same time, announcement was made that Secre- tary Baker had refused for the second time to make public the recent com munication from Colonel Ansell, reply ing to statements made by Major Gen eral Crowder. judge advocate general.
 The secretary's order which is the form of a regular departmental com munication, signed by the adjutant general through whom it was transmit ted as follows:
 "The secretary of war acknowledges the receipt through military channels of the first paragraph of the endorse nent made by Lieutenant Colonel An sell under date of April 2, dealing with the subject of proposed changes in the system of military justice. The sug- gestionS made by Lieutenant Colonel Ansell are entirely apparent in form and substance and merit earnest con- sideration which they will receive. With many suggestions, the secretary of war finds himself in hearty concur renee, if in fact, existing statute law is 1 defective in the particular suggested 1 by the proposed change. In order that | the subject may be fully considered and the views of lieutenant Colonel Ansell adequately studied it is directed that Lieutenant Colonel Ansell prepare ana submit to the secretary of war at the earliest possible moment, the draft ot such a bill as in his opinion would be adapted to carry into effect the ideas expressed in the first paragraph of hi. endorsement.
 With regard to the second para. graph of the endorsement which call. for this memorandum, the secretary 0
 war declines to receive officially tn. communication herewith returned. Tn.
 communication in question has alread,
 been published and there is, therefore
 no point in seeking to use the secretar,
 Of war as medium of publicity. Tn
 resort to personal comment in connec
 ton with this subject matter was no
 begun by General Crowder. It plainI,
 would have been more fitting and ap
 propriate if never begun by anybody
 It has certainly been carried ia enough by everybody. The secretar- , of war assumes Lieutenant Colone
 Anselfs earnest desire to concentrat public attention and official attentio ; upon the improvement Of the syster
 of military justice. and it is cutie sur
 that single-minded and unbiased con sideration of that subject can best h I assured by the abatement of frrthe ! personal discussion and unanimjtv z effort to wor kout the best results fo
 the system which We all desire to i'm prove"
 The publication of this order by th
 department follows the unauthorize Q publication of the secretary's note re l turning to Colonel Ansell the communi f cation submitted by the officer in repl
 to certain statements made by Gener: { Crowder. In that communication NJ { Baker declined to receive the paper q { not being in proper form and not ao h dressed to the discussion Of the subie. : of military justice but to personal dit n ferences between the two officers.
 Colonel AnSell'S second communicf : ton primarily devoted to a re-stat, f ment in positive terms of his objection d to the army legal system. was publishe Il at the same time as was Secretal n Bakers note. The second paragraI : of the second Ansell communication IF which the statement today refers, aga
 urged that the department make publ
 the letter in reply to General Crowde