The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-14

lilJSuueu 10 Dllly LuS SOlulSTS.
This statement was made by a
captain at Fort Shafter.
OFFICERS Mistreat Soldiers
The sentences of Comrade Walter
NJ. Trumbull and the writer, tho they
have received considerable publicity,
are not exceptions to the policy Of
military authorities regarding soldiers
who dare think for themselves. Hun
dreds Of men guilty of no crime are
enslaved and tortured in disciplinary
barracks and penitentiaries. The
punishment inflicted by courts mar
tial for trivial offenses is so great
that many victims are driven to de-
speration.
Il is almost impossible to bring an
officer to account for crimes against
soldiers. In recent trial at Scho-
field Barracks, an officer, who stuck
a prisonerin the back with his sword,
was found mot guilty" by court
martial after only five minutes con-
sideration.
Prisoners At Officers Mercy
For the purpose Of being shown to
investigators. prison regulations are
prepared which state that prisoners
are to be worked about seven and "a
half hours daily, are to receive all
mail Except that money is to be
kept in the hands of the prison Off
cer) that they are to have reading
matter, etc.
In reality, the prison officer is the
law and prisoners are at his mercy.
AS an example, at the 35th Infantry
guard house, no reading matter is per-
mitted. Newspapers intRnded for pri-
soners are opened, read and destroyed
by authorities.
Prison Tortures
Men in the guard house not only
work during the day but also for
two hours after supper. When they
protested against this abuse, the
Colonel told them that If they refused
to work after supper he would force
them to work without shoes and force
them to sleep without mattresses and
blankets.
A prisoner in the 11th Field Artil-
. lery guard house was placed in soli-
tary confinement, given only bread
and water, and was forced to sleep on
the stone floor with no protection
from mosquitoes. When he protested
to the regimental adjutant. the Off
Ger remarked: 81 am sorry there are
no rats TO eat you"
Another Communist Prisoner
A typical case Of army brutality is
that OF Richard Agnelh, sentenced to
two years Imprisonment at hard labor.
The charges against him we're that
after being deprived of his dinner he
refused to work without eating and
when ordered to do so, said: ITO hell
with the god damned officers and the
god damned army"
Agnelli, who is a Communist, wish
es to hear from his brother, Paul, an
agent for the Daily Worker. Noyy Mir,
and other Communist publications.
Mail for him should be sent in care
OF his wife. Mrs. r. ]. AgneIli. 1923
Kamehameha " Road, Honolulu,
Hawaii.
Efforts are being made by NAL
General Smith to have the stockade
at Schoheld Barracks reopened and
prisoners sent there Instead Of to the
mainland. To the soldiers in Hawaii,
the Schofeld stOckade is a SYNONYM
Of hell. Before it was closed, few
years ago, the brutalities perpetrated
within its grim walls could be equal-
ed only by going back to the days of
the Inquisitipn.
The cruelty Of Capt. Hail. the pri-
son officer would have put Nero to
shame. Hall felt secure as he had the
support OF Gen. Kuhn, then command
ing the Hawaiian division. Prisoners
we're forced to work long hours at the
rock pile, using heavy hammer with
a nocked handle so as to cut the
hands. They were marched TO and
from work at double time, forced to
stand at attention from supper until
bed time, and to get up at four o'clock
in the morning.
When prisoner tainted at work, a
bucket Of cold water was thrown in
his face and when he regained con.
seriousness he had TO pick up the
heavy hammer and continue with his
labor. For those driven TO despera,
ton who refused to work under such
cruel conditions, much worse fate
was In store. They were sprayed with
formaldehyde. One man died as a re-
suit OF burns from it. Three others
lost their sight
After these conditions had existed
for a long time, details reached the
war department This was too much
for those accustomed TO the milder
form OF military autocracy found on
the mainland An investigation was
held and the stockade closed.
The only punishment for Kuhn was
a transfer and q slight reduction in
rank. Capt. Hall Is said to have been
killed by one Of his former victims
after his return TO the mainland.
Rewarded For Murders