Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-05
PROBE ASSURED
Of CHARGES Of
SENATOR WATSON
Senate Committee Will
DeIve Into Allegations
That Soldiers Were Ex-
ecuted Without Trial.
(By The Associated Press J

washington, NOV. 4'-lnNestlsa-
ton by a special senate committee
of the charges of Senator Watson,
democrat, Georgia, that American
soldiers in Francs were hanged
without trial and shot by officers
orders, was assured today when the
senate, after three hours discus
sion unanimously re-ordered the
inquiry.
The special committee, headed by
Senator Brandgee, republican, Con-
necticut, will meet next Monday to
determine upon procedure.
Adopts heSOlution.
Another speech by the Georgia
senator in support of his charges,
Wrangllng between senators over
the wording of the inquiry resolu-
tions and parliamentary mlAups
preceded the final order for the m
vestigation to proceed. The senate
finally and unanimously adopted d
new and amended resolution, d.
recting the inquiry and another EN-
poWeilng the special committee 10
subpoena persons and papers. The
program announced yesterday tOS
a. motion TO discharge the commit
tee did not materlalize. instead,
Senator Simmons, democrat, Nora
Carolina, proposed the new resolu-
ton, which was adapted with al.
amendment charging that the in
Quiry should be into Senator Wat
sons charges and not an inVes1-
cation OF the senator himself.
From the resolution giving the COM
mittee power to act in the case, an
other amendment struck out a
statement relative to inviting SEN
ator Watson to appear before the
committee. The committees course
in this respect, members said,
would be to determine later.
Watson Is satisfied.
Senator simmons at the conclus-
ion Of the debate said that Senator
Watson was satisfied with the
amendments and would, no doubt,
submit his evidence to the special
committee.
Earlier Mr.. Watson had chal-
lenged republicans TO expel him
declared for debate in the open SEN
ate and asked why an effort should
be made to "entrap" and "silence"
him before a committee. He de-
nounced embarrassing committee
reports" and said they were not
read.
The war department is preparing
to give its fullest support to the
senate investigation, taking the po-
sition that the accusations of the
Georgia senator constitute a blot
on the good name of the army I'M
less a full investigation is had.
Secretary Weeks has said that he
hopes the inquiry is carried out I'M
til all the facts have been estab-
lished, and Is understood to have Of
fered TO put at the disposal of the
committee the facilities of the
army in arriving at the truth.
Fight Opens Early. .
The fight over the senatorg
charges opened today when the
senate met at 10 o'clock, an hour
early. Senator Edge, republican,
New Jersey, began the debate with
criticism of Senator Watson, for
presenting photographs yesterday
or gallows, where a soldier ha6
been executed, after court martial.
the New Jersey senator said. TO
"a brutal attack" upon a seven
year-old girl Senator Edge de-
clared the incident could NOT he
camouflaged," and that the issue
was as 10 the truth of the charge
OF illegal hangings.
IN spirited reply Senator Wat
son aid his information regarding
tWenty-one alleged hangings of SOL
alers without trail, came from n
FORMER soldier who said he had
seen the gallows and had been told
py gallows guard that this num-
per was hanged. His informant
senator Watson said, would face
the senate and answer all cues
tions.
France Is Criticised,
Inc french government and
General La Fayette were criticised
py the Georgia senator in COM
menting on statement bp Newton
~. Baker, former secretary of war,
lhat the senator's charges were
'preposterious and incredible" Re-
ferring to Mr.. Bakers statement
that France was a Civilized coun-
try" and that word of any illegal
executions would have spread
quickly, Senator Watson said that
france had charged America for
trenches and Fairgrounds used by
American troops.
ION, yes, France is not a howl
ing wilderness but a civilized coun-
try" the Georgia senator contin-
ued, from which La Fayette came
upon a written contract made with
Silas Dean. pledging this country
TO make him a major general be-
Tore he would leave France and
come to America; and he did not
nave sense enough to drill a com
pany or soldiers, besides which he
SMILED. Some of these days, when
somebody gets up here and blows
OH about La Fayette I mean TO
take him down a peg or two. /
know La Fayette and Washington
knew him, and it was not Washing
Ton VINO had him released from
that Austrian prison into which he
was put when the French army
chased him with the intent to kill
Grflis La Fayette.
1T was Napoleon Bonaparte in
the treaty of Campo-Formio. Yes.
know La Fayette. He BETRAYED
every French government that
trusted him and the only independ-
ent command he ever had in Amer
lea came very near getting bagged
by Benedict Arnold and it was only
the James river that saved La Fay
cite and his command from being
captured"
After this and a parliamentary
dispute or two the senate made no
change in the resolution mention
Ing Senator Watson's charges gem
orally. Committee members said
privately that they intended to
limit the inquiry generally to the
principal charges made by Mr..
Watson without going into a gen
eral investigation of conduct of
army officers.
How Not to Take Cold.
Some persons are subject to fire.
quent colds, while others seldom, If
ever. have a cold. You will fad
that the latter take good care of