Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-03
rrr W or SHUT UP.


Tom Watson Of Georgia. iconoclast.
historian, one-time candidate for the
Presidency on the ropulise ticket. and
nnpcfiunlss extraordinary. either made
hn ass Ut himself In the senate Mon
day aud Tuesday, or else he revealed
lnvls about the American Expedition
nry Forces hitherto unknown. even
hy uencral rcrshing.
Here ia a portion u the Senator's
t,mnrks on Monday;
'iluw many Senators know that n
private soldier was frequently shot
h. his officers because of soms COM
plhlui agalnsi officers insolence. and
that th,y had gerows upon which
men Nere hanged. day after day.
without court martial or any other
form of trlale How many Senators
know thatp
4 had and have the photographs
~ one N these sallows upon which
twenty zone white boys had already
been executed when the photograph
was taken, and there were others
walilrg IN the camp iails 20 be hanged
nofnlns after morning"
iie attempted 90 explain those
statements Tuesday. and either made
hisE,r ass of himself. or else fur
nlshod more data unknown TO those
Nho are IN authority IN France while
fum Watson was raving la Gcorgia
The senate has very wisely called
ulnn this nrehrand To- explain HIM
Hulf and ih oFder that be- may have d.
falf opportunity, the following special
committee has been appointed 20 hca,
him NJ lcrrih' senators Brandegee
chairman Ernst and willis. Rcpub-
hUans u,orman Democrat senate,
'unnrene, also Democrat. was as
slrned to the Committee hut had "a
refuse acceptance because of IN,
prcesurs ~ other duties
Aecordins 60 the records of tho war
department only 10 soldiers wer,
executed IN France-snd none fo-
military onensrs, Those who suffer.
"a ihe death penalty were classified
asi criminal cnenscs Rgassst Frenc,
wumen sis murder three: murder
end criminal attempt one. There Il
uo record ~ "twcnty-one white boys
tcinr executed. nor h il known thai
lh,y had rallows upon which mer
were hauEcd day After day. vithuu
/ 'ouu.maftiai or any other form o
trial" Tho men who were execute,
had fair trials. and their cases ver,
even referred 60 prcsioeu, Wilson be
tore nnel action Was taken.
The War Department has further
hnnounced that there vas. rot
SINGLE known case 81 private soldier
leinr shui hy officers because of som
complaint of officers insolence" Ac
cord 90 watson. one would lmagin,
that officers spent their time goinl
up and down the lines shooting men
liis charges are 80 monstrous tha
they deserve 90 be- probed 20 the yer,
bottom. n true. then men responsl
bic for such alleged outragos shoul,
be- rivsn extreme penalties them
selves. But n Watson's statement
are without truth. then he should b
require 81 apologize publicly {,
every man who wore the officers in
sigma IN the A. =. =. Furthermore
Z this Senator's charges are disprove,
tu.ally. his speeches viii merit bein,
discrcdited as long as he lives. lire
sponsible statements have no place h
D. lic life. much less on the floor o
the United States senate. Watson
must either put up or shut up" an,
n h. can't put up the evidence, thei
the Naticn viii elcome a permanen
shutting u his lips. His rawlings II
lhe past have not been conduc. '
to the betterment o. the body polite