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Show ELL SEVERE II ARRAIGNMENT i Baker and Army Chiefs Condone 'Shocking' Punishments, Pun-ishments, He Says. NEW TORK, Aug. 27. Samuel T. An-sell, An-sell, formerly acting judge advocate gen-eral gen-eral of the army, told a senate committee commit-tee today that Secretary Baker, General March, chief of staff; Major General Crowder, judge advocate general, and other general officers placed deliberate obstacles in his way when he sought to obtain clemency for soldiers given harsh sentences. The committee is considering a bill by Senator Chamberlain for changes of the military justice system. When he first made a report on the subject of reform in the system in 1917, Ansell said, he was relieved immediately, "with the knowledge if not the suggestion sugges-tion of Secretary Baker," from all duties relating to military justice, "The truth is," "said Mr. Ansel, "that they did not like my liberal views. Of course, they won't say it, but the facts speak louder than words." When he had opportunity later, as acting act-ing judge advocate general, to review courtmartial sentences and sent clemency clem-ency recommendations, Ansell said frequently fre-quently he received curt replies "amounting "amount-ing to 'mind your own business.' " Secretary Baker later issued a general order prohibiting the judge advocate general gen-eral from making clemency recommendations, recommenda-tions, he said, but added that in numerous numer-ous cases when he was in charge of the office in the absence of General Crowder he disregarded this order. After the armistice, Mr. 'Ansell stated, army punishments, especially in camps in this country, became more severe. At Camp Dix in particular, he said, punishments punish-ments were "shocking," When he reported these conditions to General Crowder, Mr. Ansell said the judge advocate general said he was reluctant re-luctant to act because he feared it might be construed as "an impeachment of the system of military justice." "Between the treatment of the cases of . officers and enlisted men there is a world-wide difference," said Mr. Ansell, replying to a question. The witness said that when officers were dismissed it was difficult enough for them to "come back," but that in the case of an enlisted man who receives a dishonorable discharge his rehabilitation was practically impossible. "We follow the man with a dishonorable dishonora-ble discharge wherever he goes," Ansell said. "We give him his yellow sheet, and wherever he goes we try to keep him from getting a job. These punishments are lifelong. Wherever the armv is known his efforts at rehabilitation are met." i : i |