The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1921-11-02
WATSON MAKES
, GRAVE CHARGES

washington, Nov. 1.-Flat charges
3 by Senator Watson (Democrat) of
Georgia that many American soldiers
In the American expeditionary force
had been hanged in France without
courts-martial or other trials stirred
up storm in the senate today which
resulted in the adoption by unani,
nous vote of an order for an in
y vestigation at which the Georgia sen
ator will be asked to present proc
Fof his charges.
"A special committee headed by Sen
ator Brandegee (Republican) of Con
necticut was appointed to make an
inquiry after Senator Watson had re
fused to present his charges before
the senate military committee be.
cause he said it was not impartial.
Other senator's appointed on the in
vestigating committee were Ernst O!
Kentucky and Willis of Ohio (Repub.
licans) and Overman of North Caro-
lima (Democrat) Senator Pomereno
Z lDemocrat) of Ohio also was ap
PoihISu " WIG SOlIiIlllIISC puC was I'll
able to serve and another Democrat
in his place will be selected tomor-
row. None Of the committee, by
agreement, are members of the mill
tary committee. The first meeting
will be held tomorrow, but only to de
eide upon procedure and hearings will
go over for several days.
Bitter exchanges between Senator
Watson and Chairman Wadsworth of
the military committee and other
Republicans marked the debate which
proceeded the vote for an impartial
inquiry into the charges. Senator
Wadsworth denied vigorously that
any American soldiers had been exc
cuteds without trials while Senate
Watson peiterated einphatically his
charges, and when criticised for re
fusing to present his evidence to the
military. committee, agreed to submit
it to some other investigating body.
= A photograph of structure, which
Senator Watson described as a gal
lows from which Americans had been
executed, figured prominently during
the heated exchanges. Senator Dorah
(Republican) of Idaho said he ais
had been shown that or a similar
photographs but that he did not'regard
the, evidence as sufficient to warran,
bringing the matter to- the attentio.
81 the ssifate " the 'S.oouiftr
two former service men had voucheC
for it's authenticity.
, Senator New (Republican) of Indi.
ana entered the debate to submit in
formation which he said he had re.
ceived from the war department to
the effect that of the members of the
American expeditionary force who
had been condemned by courtmartia
only nine had been executed, whereas
Senator Watson had said that at least
81 had been hanged, many without
being tried.
Examination of the army records
made today by Secretary Weeks re
vea'cd that none of the men executed
in France during the war was charged
with a military offense, desertion o>
cowardice or aiding the enemy. 1.-The
total number of executions by the
army, he said, was ten. There was nc
execution, the secretary said, until
after a careful and searching inquiry
and full trial.
In each of the ten cases, it was de
clared, the sentence of the court was
carried out. Six were on charges o.
criminal assault, three for crimina'
assault and murder, and one for mur
der and assault with intent to commit
criminal assault.
All were aggravated cases, it was
explained.
The secretary asserted that no IL
quiry had been received by him, or to
mis- knowledge by the department, as
to the accuracy Of the charges before
they were made by Senator Watson