Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-11-02
GEORGIAN SAYS
HE WILL SUBMIT
CASE TO SENATE
May Refuse To Go Before Special
Committee With Proof Of
Charges
MILITARY CHAIRMAN
DENIES STATEMENTS
Says Accusations Cannot be
Passed Over Lightly, And
Demands Proof

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.-Another
! statement in the open Senate with
respect to his charges that American
| soldiers were hanged in France with
out courtmartial was promised today
/ by Senator Thomas f. Watson, OF
! Georgia He declared that before
submitting his evidence in the case
to any committee he would present
| it to the Senate itclf and to the ceun-
try in reply to the dcnials of Senator
! Wadsworth, chairman CT the military
affairs committee Watson Indicated
J he might finally refuse TO go before
the special committee appointed yes
| terady or any other committee and
would confne his case to the Senate.
How many senator's kaow,o Sen
ator Watson, in bringing up the sub
ject Tuesday asked, that private
soldier was frequently shot by nis
! officer because of some complaint
against officers insolence; and that
| they had gallows upon which men
were hanged, day after day, without
court-martial or any otner form or
trial? had and have The photograph
of one Of those gall. ws, upon which
| q white boys had already been cx-
/ ecuted at sunrise wnen the photo
/ graph was taken; ana there were 9th
crs waiting in the camp jails TO be
! hanged morning after morning =
! Proof Demanded.
Senator Wadswcrth declared that
Oh.
| brushed aside nor excused on the
ground of excitability in debate. He
( demanded that Senator Watson pro-
1 ducc the proof
/ Senator Watson replied that he re-
sented the demand" and would tell
him, foot to foot, and shoulder to
/ shoulder" that he was the equal of
any senator and assumed full re-
/ sponsibility for his charges. He said
he would refuse to 60 before any
committee with his evidence, OF TO
produce his witnesses unless they
were guaranteed imaiunIty
Il mean every word / said said,
he. added, and | did not overpaiat
tie picture ! have pho ograph of
the gallows upons which white soldiers
were hanged and | can produce WI.
nesses who saw it, if it is safe for
them to appear"
"a picture oi white men hanged
like dogs. ! can produce men if it
were safe VITO saw them shot with
out trial. | can not compel men t.
! ccme here and incur the danger
II say that food was piled up
mountain high in France and virtu-
I ally given to the French when oar
men were starving, can prove that
our men were unnecessarily exposed
/ and left 10 die on the road | know
ex-service men who saw these things
! and told me about them Told ne
how letters were censored and stereo-
4 typed to conform to regulations aid
how soldiers who would rot comply
were subjected 10 barbcrous treat
ment These men win not go back
t. fight have heard them state
they would die before they wouirl do
SO. The men were treated inhuman-
ly and told me 50 thensel fes
Committee Named
The special committee as named
by Senators Gummins, Of Iowa, pres
ident pro temporc of the senate, will
be headed by Senator Brandegee, re-
publican, Connecticut, and will con-
sist of Senators Ernest. republican,
Kentucky; Willis, republican, Ohio;
Overman, democrat, North Carolina,
and Pomerene, democrat, Ohio
Senator Watson, while stating his
/ refusal to produce his evidence BE-
fore the senate military committee,
said he would before another and
impartial committee.
Senator Lenroot, republican, Wis
consin, characterized the. Georgia
+ senator's charges as "monstrous,"
and declared that he discredited the
impartiality of the prominent dem
ocrats on the military committee
as well as republicans, in refusing
| to appear before the military body.
Senator Wadsworth vigorously
/ challenged the truth Of Senator
| Watson's charges.
"The inference to be drawn that
numbers were hanged without
court-martial is utterly aside from
the facts and the truth, said Sena
tor Wadsworth The number of
men executed in. France under court
i martial could be counted on one
hand
Wadsworth Replies
THE senator from Georgia de
/ clines to produce any Testimony to
substantiate his charges, Senator
Wadsworth continued, ION the
| ground that witnesses might incur
| (Continued IN paga AZ