Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-02
YANKS HANGED
WITHOUT TR|AL.
WATSON CLAIMS
Georgian Alleges American
Soldiers Abroad Were
Treated aneIy;
Denied By WadSWOrth.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov Il
Charges by Senator Watson, demo-
crat, Georgia. that American SOL
diers serving m France, were
hanged without court martial or
other form OF trial, precipitated
q heated debate today in the sem
ate. Chairman Wadsworth of the
military committee, invited the
Georgia senator to appear before
his committee to produce evidence
in support of his charges.
Replying to Senator Watson's
charges that Il American soldiers
had been hanged on one scaffold
in France, Senator New, repub-
lican, Indiana, presented an off
cial statement from the judge ad-
vocate general of the army, show
ing that out of a total of % sem
tences of death imposed on the
American -expeditionary forces,
only nine were actually carried
out.
Photograph OF Gallows.
How many senator's know
Senator Watson had asked, that
a private soldier was frequently
shot by his officers because Of
some complaint against officers
insolence; and that they had GAL
lows upon which men were hanged
day after day, without court mar
tial or any other form of trial"
I had and have the photograph
of one of those garlows, upon
which 81 white boys had already
been executed at sunrise when the
was taken; and there
were others waiting in the camp
jails to be hanged morning after
morning"
Senator Wadsworth declared
that his charge could not he light
ly brushed aside, nor could 1t be
excused on grounds OF excitability
in debate" He demanded that
Senator Watson produce the proof
Senator Watson replied that he
resented the demand" and would
tell him. foot to foot and shoulder
to shoulder that he was the equal
Of any senator" and assumed full
responsibility for his charges. He
said he would refuse to 60 before
any committee with his evidence
or to produce his witnesses unless
they were guaranteed immunity.
Can Produce Witnesses.
'I mean every word I said" he
added, land did not overpaint
the picture. I have photograph
Of the gallows upon which white
soldiers were hanged and I can
produce witnesses who saw 1t, II
it is safe for them to appear.
"A picture OF white men hanged
like dogs. I can produce men II
it were safe. who saw men shot
without trial. cannot compel
men to come to this uncertain
danger.
Letters Were Censurcd.
1.-THE food was piled up noun
tain high IN France and virtually
given to the French when our men
were starving. I can prove that
our men were unnecessarily ex-
posed and left to die on the road.
know eX-scrvice men who saw
these things and told me about
them. Told me how letters were
censored and steroeotyped to con-
form to regulations and how SOL
1iers who would not comply We're
to barbarous treatment.
These men will not go back to
Europe again to fight. I have
heard them state they would die
before they would do so. The
men were treated inhumanely. and
-old me so themselves"
Senator Wadsworth vigorously
challenged the truth of Senator
Watson's charges.
Senator Watson then produced
his small photograph of an al
eyed Illegal execution. 1t was
passed around among senators who
examined It carefully.