Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-05
WATSON CHARGES
WILL BE PROBED
BY j. s. SENATE
Georgian Reads Telegram
From Soldier Who Saw
GaIIows, Saying His Ale
cations Were Based on 1t

WASHINGTON, Nov. A new
resolution ordering a special COM
mittee to investigate charges of Sen
ator Watson, Democrat, Georgia, re-
garding treatment of privates IN the
A. E. F. was adopted unanimously
today by the senate, after TWO
hours wrangle.
The senate also adopted unani.
mously another resolution by Sena'
tor Brandegee, Republican, Connecti'
cult, chairman of the special com
mittee. authorizing the committee to
subpoena witnesses and documents,
but left unsettled the question as to
the exact charges of Senator Wat
son. which were to be investigated
Another clash occurred in the SEN
ate today over the charges of Sena-
tor Watson that American soldiers
had been hanged like dogs" without
trial in France.
A showdown on Senator Watson
charges was demanded today by SEN
ator Edge, New Jersey, when the
senate convened. Mr.. Edge demand
ed that Mr.. Watson give the Amer
lean people evidence to subsIantlate
his charges.
Senator Watson told the senate
later that his charge that twenty
one American soldiers had been nang-
ed in France without trial had peen
based on the statement of soldler
who said he had seen the galloWs ana
had beer, told <by the scaffold guard
that this number of men had been
hanged.
The Georgia senator presented the
bases for his charges during another
period of heated debate on the SUD-
ject. He read a telegram from this
soldier, whose name was not dis
closed, saying that the gallows was
ut Gievus, France, and that the
guard had told him that other men
were to be hanged on it.
Basis of Charge
"That's the number 1 said" de-
clared Senator Watson, referring TO
the number mentioned in the tele-
gram. "That is the information on
which / based my statements"
The Georgia senator declared that
this soldier, who he said, had serv-
ed four years in. the army, would
"face the senate and answer any
questions as bravely as he faced the
Germans"
Soon after Senator Watson pre-
scented the basis for his charges raw
orable committee report was made on
the resolution authorizing the spe-
cial committees appointed to inquire
into the charges to subpoena wit
nesses and papers.
When the senate convened an hour
earlier than usual to take up the
Watson charges, Senator Edge, Re
publican, New Jersey, opened with
severe criticism of the Georgia SEN
ator for attempting to place in the
Congressional Record yesterday
photograph of a gallows said to have
been used by the army in France.
Senator Edge said that Mr.. Watson
had not requested publication of the
article printed with the photograph
in a Passaic, N. j., newspaper. The
article showed, Mr.. Edge added, that
It was used Cor {. legal execution aft
er a court-martial for an attack on
a seven-year-old French girl, who
died from the effects of the assault.
Senator Edge asked whether Sena
tor Watson sought to justify his
charges of illegal executions without
NY III IliC PIlIOS oPAI
OF a gallows used in a court-martial
execution.
'"The issue in this case cannot be
camouflaged," said Senator Edge.
'tNo one claimed that men were not
tired and executed. The picture of
gallows used for punishment of a
brute is no justification Of the
charges of the senator from Geor-
gia. He cannot cover them over
with photographs and reproductions
he offered yesterday. The American
people want to know the facts, to
have the senator's charges proven or
disproven by uncontroverted evil
dence."
Refers TO Picture
Replying to the New Jersey sena-
tor, Senator Watson referred to the
picture showing the hanging Of the
negro for an attack on a little
French girl and demanded:
"Sisfce when has it become legal
to disgrace the uniform of the Amer
lear army by hanging it at the enu
Of halter?"
The Georgia senator called atten-
ton to the fact that in the casualty
lists issued during the war there
appeared the phrase: dead from
other causes" and asked what were
those causes.
eve are just now beginning to
find out" he declared.
Taking up the case of the soldier
Frye, who was killed by sentry, the
speaker declared he had a consti-
tuent in Georgia who saw the COM
mission of that foul crime than
which no German ever committed a
fouler," and that his affidavit would
be presented to the senate as soon
as it could reach Washington.
Senator Watson took up the state
ment of Newton D. Baker, former
secretary of war, that the senators
charges were 'preposterous and in
crediable."
Little Newt had to get in" said
Senator Watson, laughing. Poor lit
tie Newt"
Referring to Mr.. Bakers state
ment that FranceS during the war,
was a "civilized" country and that
any illegal executions soon would
have been made public, Senator Wat
son said that France had charged
this government for roads upon
which to haul troop trains and the
very trenches used by the American
forces.
Eyes, France was civilized; that's
civilization said Senator Watson
A moment later he declared General
Lafayette betrayed every govern
ment that trusted him.
Senator Watson asked if the war
department would give the name of
the ''gallows guard and others in
volved in the Gievfes execution. Sen
ator Wadsworth, Republican, New
York, chairman Of the military COM
mittee, said that was what was pro-
posed by the senate investigation or
dered he added, because the Geor-
ezia SanatnI. Indicated Lack of cnnfi-