The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-11-01
SAYS SOLDIERS
WERE HANGED
WITHOUT TRIAL
Watson's Charges to Be
Probed by Senate
Committee

WASHINGTON. Nov. i.--Investi-
cation by "A special committee into
charges by senator Watson, democrat.
Georgia. that American soldiers In
France were hanged without court
martial or other trial was ordered
today by the senate by unanimous
vote. The committee will be appoint
ed by the president OF the senate. and
Senator Watson will be invited before
1t to produce proof
Senator Watson produced n small
photograph OF an alleged hanging
and Insisted that his charges were
true. Senator Borah. republican,
Idaho. said he had examined the
photograph and had been told by two
FORMER service men that the charges
were true but that he Was unwilling
to proceed ON such evidence"
Prosokcs Hot Debate.
Charges by Senator Watson prccipt-
tated heated debate. Chairman
Wadswo-th OF the military committee
Invited the Georgia senator to appear
before his committee to produce evil
dence In support OF his charges.
nJw many senators know" Sena-
tor Watson had asked. that n private
soldier was frequently shot by his Of
flccrs because OF some complaint
against officers insolenco. and that
they had galiows upon which men
were hanged, day after day. without
court martial o.. any other form OF
Trial? had. and hav,. the photo
graph % one Of those gallows, upon
which p white boys had already been
executed at sunrise when the photo
graph was taken. and there were
others waiting In the camp jails TO be
hanged morning after morning"
New Replies.
Replying to senator Wntson's
charges. senator New. republican, In
diana. presented an offirial statement
rom the judge advocatc-gencTal OF
the army, showing that out OF a total
OF ~ sentences OF death, imposed In
the American oNpeditionary forces,
only nine were actually carried out.
Demands PrOoi.
Senator Wausworth. declared that
his charge could not be lightly
brushed aside, nor could IL be eN-
cused ON grounds OF eNcitability In
debate" He demanded that senator
Watson produce 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-
sponEibility for his charges. lilo said
he would refuse to go before any
committee with his evidence or tol
produce his witnesses unless they
were guaranteed immunity
II mean every word | said he
added. and did not over paint the
pigturc. have photograph OF the
gallows upon which white soldiers
were hanged and | can produce wit
nesses who saw II. II Il is safe for
them to appear
"a picture of white men hanged
lflf. I f.FnNtt.. .
were safe. who saw men shot without
trial ! cannot compel men to come
to this uncertain danger.
fOod Charges.
The food was piled up mountain
high In France ana virtually given to
the French when our men were stasv-
ing. ! can prove that our men were
unncceEs1 rily exposed and left TO die
on the road. / know cN-serNice men
who saw these things and told IN"
about them. Told me how letters
were censored and stcreutyped to
conform to regulations and how sol
diers who would not comply were sub
lrCted 10 barbaruus treatment These
mon Will not go back to Europe again
to fight. | have heard them state
they would die before they would do
50. The mon were treated inhu-
manoly. and told mo So themselves"
Senator Wadsworth vigorously
challenged the truth OF Senator Wat
sons charges.
Senator Madsworth asserted heat
edly that mot one man In our vast
army was executed without a court
martial"
Senator Watson then produced his
small photograph of an alleged Illegal
execution. II was passed around
among senators who examined 1t
carefully