Show I n OF o III fA R flY Y I IN I L J Hf u dge ke Advocate General j Swell t Says Attempted Reforms forms Were Balked by Ey 1 j ii oJ uglier Higher Officers of Ann Army I nn Feb 10 W.- W. inc U re records of the military courts in American array army during tho the war ar oW w that too many men men were con con- ted tei on oil flimsy evidence who never nc tried at all nIl I t d have hare ken been This summary of the injustice of r e martial court al cases affecting thou- thou fo-d fo di of f American soldiers soldier was made affairs commit thed Senate military iod tody y by Gen Sam Samu T. T A Ansell sell advocate I general It strikes at the root of the red rca I. I which h led to tbD infliction cHon p of severe seere sentences upon sellers sel 1501 lers accused of tri trivial offenses Most ithe the members of f the committee o mitte 11 ere t i in accord with General Ansell of the methods led General Ansell warmly en endorsed the tho by Senator Chamberlain to revise iso b bc it court ut martial so ao a as to 4 n 4 largo large measure of ot Justice to semen IB imen jn n accused He lie suggested ted a few i or changes most of ot which were ed to make male even oven moro more drastic restrictions the tho Chamberlain bill billo Ol o cold Jd ii Impose Ansell Illustrated necessity the for proposed changes chang b by relating the tory of ot some court martial cases casee monc mong mon the thousands which his office tits is s reviewed i U Ure Are re Approved I Important sections In Iii the bill which let t with General Ansell's strong ap- ap were iere Giving dl the accused person parson the theto ht to challenge for prejudice prejudice- an any timbers of ot the court convened to tT try m. m Making 2 tho the judge advocate a I. I officer of ot the the- court to ad advise IC e court on law hi and evidence and u hunt nr the tho office of ot prosecutor to r tea relent nt lh the eVidence to tho tile court the aPP appointing officer 9 ordering a a. re trial where here a erlet er let ot no not guilty has been rendered General Ansell also made a strong I lea a. a for tor the section of ot the 1 bill which Uld give re the tho judge advocate general s to revie review proceedings In all ltd u. u ill brought ou out that while Secretary er had ruled the judge advocate nd erd office the has no such authority fe ss ot of the Injustice military courts was vas started the war 8 11 Id II exer exercised this Power revised and in set aside many ju judg- judg Thay cu Cases es r Wuk Spot it Shown T ator Thomas Ct t on tho status Q asked ked what hat th the ert er- er ot of the auch prisoner cases caws General the tho Ansell said it Il on nature nee Ce ot of t th e sea sen- It lit merely a a. prIson sentence the vas set at lIberty and red to the and ro- ro it h lIe had beet been ed or his dis- dis redress edd reu lIe pa added forfeited there was lie 0 weak Dot III 1 In uA u i D t cc here Instead nem Is ot or giving gl a as tio to 10 much reviewing ed at the errors com com- trial there 5 attention should l b to the legal he In the first place ner-cl ner MU r former Go Gov- Gov ot of now Pg o as judge jUde ado advocate ate Or on the tho stat staff hin that In commander IlS cases where lie he ted the co against ac an ac tr cx Inan was dill did not justify his hi trial the bert bere iia hILs been too much of oC that WI lh going on Oil around hero an anJan 1 to make mako felio and an example of gf I I. I Mort Cot or of try tn thinG him bun anway d X Permeates permeate ot or the court th tin i 1 t Ansell martial eaSel said J. J Al n declared that In man lubo I 1 officers ot or C tho the court court- ere browbeaten I n and I ha be and ad majors mn J rs w who presided crts Pro nonn l Ii were manner he said ald second lIeu lIeu- u afraid I i to the act ln tUlIn rulings of superiors hi If ho no were vrn u a a a ui gun gun- cn- cn uld It ll tho h hight ut X ho could perform to act I on Palo Iago 2 RECORD OF MIliTARY I COURTS IN IM U. U S. S RAPPED Continued from 1 accused If Ir a an as coun counsel cl for an nn officers of ot such rank were chosen ho hn hesaki would not said saki the tho presiding officers something something something some some- thorn In doing be bo ablo blo to coerce thing to tho the soldiers soldiers' disadvantage that no case caso The section providing unless th the trial brought ht to should hould bo bl brou certified there thoro was cI judge advocate oca c dence to justify a trial also was commended commended com com- mended by General AnselL IIo lie said ahl this provision pro would do away y with the thousands of or cases where men were of ot no evidence e forced to trial upon value General gave tho the committee e ea a great d deal nl of oC Information concerning tho the manner in which hi his hili efforts to bring about reforms In the mar court court court- mar ml practice had hall been opposed b by the higher officers of or tho army 1101 lie He said Bald the chief of Qt staff tho the Inspector general genI general gen gen- I eral and General Crowder all opposed his recommendations Tho The army officials were rP very en mu much disturbed b by what I was doing General General General Gen Gen- eral Ansell raid paid t ld as the they fe feared that any enlar enlargement ment of or the th powers of the jUde advocate general in the matter of ot reviewing re tho the cases caeS would Interfere The opposition opposition with tho the military power tion culminated In n tho the I issuance of or and ani an nr n. ord A e 1 en n November 1917 detaching mo me j I i from r this t duty t and nd sending mo me to of ot the tho Investigation Franco France on nn un martial court proceedings In the expeditionary ex ex- force A el subordinate officer officer wa was detailed to do the tho work I had been doln doln- doing Crowder Opposed Work Did General Crowder display an any opposition to you Inquired Senator Chamberlain Yes was tho the only reply General Ansell made matIe The Tho Issuance of or an order ten da days ago routing In the tho case to other channels in tho the war department was nl also o cite by try General Ansell as an ano another another an- an o other In Interference with h his Is work h by higher officials of ot the department lie He disclaimed on any Intention however of or Insinuating that General Crowder acted wrongly in respect to this order IIo said ho did not believe It was Issued to prevent him hinr OI from Crom reviewing the cases but was 15 such an order as General Gen Gen- eral cral Crowder was entitled to issue But was coincident with your our activity ity In these cases was was-Jt not asked Senator Thomas There was such a I. I coincidence In November November No No- oember o- o vember ember 1917 1911 when I was sent to France ranee General Ansell replied butt butI but I t am not sq Q keen about believing there was such a n. coincidence in this latest order I believe It was unfortunate to have a n. divided responsibility My Iy views were well weH known and they were not accepted Well and good I have hava no hesitancy In saying that the arm army did not agree with those views of oC mine If It tho the secretary of ot war believes such views a as I held v bo be harmful to the tho arm ann ho had a L rl right ht to issue the order I |