The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-01
CHARGES YANKS
WE'RE HANGED
WITHOUT TRIAL
Sen. Watson ShouDs
Pictures of Soldiers
or, ScafoId.

Washington. NOV l. - q D1Je0
Press The senate today adopted
4 resolution authorizing the ap-
pointment of a committee of FIVE
senators to hear the charges by
Senator Watson. Georgia, that
American soldiers in France were
treated inhumanly and hanged
without court martial.
Can Prove 1t!
Watson declared he was ready
to go before any committee and
prove his charges. He asserted
that he had seen pictures of a scat
fold on which American soldiers
were alleged to have been hanged.
Senator Borah of Idaho inter
! rupted watson to say that he had
seen the picture to which the Geor-
| gia senator referred.
| Two e&-serviCe men have con-
ffrmed that picture to me"
| BOrah took the picture out of his
pocket and passed it around 10 the
senator's
Senators See Photo.
| The picture showed several SOL
diers hanging from a scaffold.
| Watson's charges which Wads-
W VI Ill lOllUW-
How many senators know that
| private soldiers were shot by Off
GERS because of some complaint
against officers in silence; and that
they had gallOws upon which men
were hanged, day after day, with
out court martial or any other form
of trial? l have seen photographs
of one of those galIows upon which
q white boys had already been ex-
ecuted at sunrise when the photo
graph was taken and there were
others waiting in the camp Jail to
be hanged morning after morning"
Such statements as these made
by a senator cannot be put lightly
aside and excused on the ground of
excitability in debate,'' said Wads-
worth.
Bristling with wrath, the Geor-
gia senator leaped to his feet and
shaking his fists at Wadsworth de-
clared that ''his language would not
go on the floor of the senate"
Watson Gets Angry.
| 'tI am not in the habit of making
statements that l cannot prove,
said Watson. Il can prove every
word that I said
Il have a picture of the gallows
| on which white soldiers were hang
! ed in violation of law. l can pro-
| duce witnesses to prove it if the
senator from New York will guar
antee immunity to the man who
/ testifies."
| Watson went on to say that he
| = Il
in France were shot down by of
ficers," that they were almost
starving, while American food was
virtually given away to France; .
| that they were Subjected to bar
barous punishment if they wrote
home the truth of conditions"
| Watson declared ex-serVice men
had told him the alleged executions
! took place in a wooded dell be-
| hind one of the camps in France
Must Produce Proof.
! The senator from Georgia owes
it to the country to produce eyi-
| dence of this" declared Senator
: Edge of New Jersey.
i Watson shouted in reply that
Hard Boiled" Smith had not beer
I
famous West Virginia clansman
had been assasSinated after testify
ing before the senate labor com
mittee concerning the Mingo mine
| war.
Senator Lenroot, Wisconsin. of
fered a resolution providing for !
committee to investigate tn
charges.
The charges are monstrOus an
the senate should investigate if th
war department does not" he saiC
. New Cites Records.
Senator New. Indiana. stated tha
the judge advocate generals rec
ords showed that 2S death ser
tences were imposed on member
of the A E F. in France by cOuI
martial. OF these, nine were e2
| ecuted. he said. and the remainde
modified or disapproved.
"In every case" said New. "th
men had trial by court martial l
no case was the offense charged
military offense."