Evening star., 1921-11-15
Editorial Digest .
Hanged Without Trial2

SAOAA6SN
Whom Senator Tom Watson Of GGor-
gia charged that American soldiers
had been hanged without trial. in
France by order Of autocratic officers
he started flood Of comment. I'm
bound by senatorial courtesy, the
press makes such references as
rampant crank," by the Nashville
Banner Independently; ''eccentrao
character" by the Racine Journal.
News (republican); stormy petrol OF
Georgia politics" by the Jaresvi!le
Gazette (republtcan); "socielist." oy
rspubiicsnS: "radicaj.s BY the Florida
Metropolis (democraticl, ,end q popu-
list or a bo1shevist." by the Brooklyn
Eagle =. Independent democrattc):
''Ever ready, with accusation and
never ready with evidence, charges
(republican). The Baltimore Ameri-
can (republican) comedies that the
Georgia senator is equipped with
brains. sss He Is q quick thinker,
and whether he can prove his
case or not. he does demonstrate the
ability to cloud It suhhctentiy with
eratorical skin" The Boston Herald
Independent republican, condemns
! both saa the ths time and place Of such ut
Senator watson has been saying
the same thing on the stump. and in
It now just when q distinguished in
ternational gathering IL about to con-
yene in Washington; he utters the
infamous charge In a place and under
circumstances that make 1t necessary
either to vindicate his facts or retract
his SANDER"
"Mr Watson is so sure he has made
startling discovery" says the Kan
sas City Times independently. that
he. won't lay his information before
Senate investigation committee, but
insists upon disclosing 1t by the We
knows. is the weightiest form of evil
dence." The Springfield Republican
|Qindependent) sums up Mr.. Watson
sin eighteen words. thus: First.
peter charges,; second. render Judg-
mssnt thirs Sha9Es your reyad ming d. only ,n
.nocence."
Some papers are ready with a SEN
tence for Mr.. Watson. The Charles
ton News and Courier (democratic)
the Senate forthwith" and that in
vestigation is unnecessary: Most Of
the papers. however. would give Mr..
Watson a chance to make good his
charges: hefore summary action.
t Fq r. veasy sseas9E to Snan MS
mons in demanding that they be
sifted. "It is due the American SOL
diers and officers that definitely
stated specifications be offered by the
accusing party" Is the verdict Of the
Ly3chburg News (democratiel; Con
France" and Determinations and in
juctice,' the Aberdeen (S. D. World
Undependent) believes the country
Is entitled to disbeiieve until proof is
n: c.S Star 1democratic5 charactertzes
his utterance as either a gross SLAM
der" or a startling truth which
should be substantiated beyond
doubt" The only question now be-
fore the Senate" aft,rms the Mobile
10 best to md the answer or drop the
! issue. leaving the American public in
the. dark The alternative is not to
be thought Of" The Chattanooga
News (democratic) finds it mot ex-
aetly easy to understand the attitude attitude
disclosures. - Nearly everybody
the proposition" "Watson's case. II
he has one. should be established by
witnesses under oath, and the senate
ceedinE through" says the Detroit
Free Press independently. The Bir-
minghaih Age Herald (independent
denfocratic) admits that such atroci-
ties as Senator Watson mentions
could have occurred and could have
been kept q secret" a circumstance
witch causes the st. Louis Globe
Democrat -trepublican) to remark
that mot a few men are still on the
guished thought may be thrust by
Tom Watson's loose talk on the
mind Of members Of the families
to which they belonged" Many
things happened in the Army in
France Of which the public knows
nothing. This may be one Of them.
ss The public ought to know
the truth one way or the other" states
the Pittsburgh Leader progressive
republican,.