Show CHARGES OF AMERICAN CRUELTY UNFOUNDED Secretary of War Makes Report of Investigations to the Senate WASHINGTON Feb 20 Responding to an Inquiry from Sen Senator tor Lodge the Secretary of War today sent to him a large number of papers bearing upon t the e charge arge that cruelty is practiced by bythe bythe the American troops on natives in the Philippines Senator Lodge presented the documents In the Senate Among the he doc documents ments forwarded are the records records records rec rec- of thirteen investigations into such charges and the Secretary says that every charge of this description which has at any time been brought to the notice of the War department has been made the s subject of prompt Investigation He adds that in substantially substantially sub sub- every case ease inquired into the report has proved to be either unfounded unfound unfound- ed ad or grossly exaggerated He also says that the department is now engage engaged engage i In conducting an in investigation investigation in- in into the charge made in inthe inthe inthe the Senate last week that the water I cure euro is the favorite torture of the Americans and especially of or the Maca- Maca bebe hebe s scouts outs to force the natives to give information and that a a a soldier who was with Gen Funston had stated that he had helped to administer the water cure to natives all but twenty-six twenty of whom had died He lie encloses encloses encloses en en- closes a copy COP of a letter received from Gen Gent Funston dated Febuary 2 1902 in which he declares the statement to tobe tobe tobe be an atrocious lie without the slightest slightest slightest slight slight- est foundation of fact and also a aletter aletter aletter letter from Batson the commander commander com corn mander of scouts to the same effect II Copies of of the army regulations prohibiting pro pro- cruelty also are forwarded as asare asare asare are the memoranda in four forty-four cases of officers soldiers and camp followers follow follow- ers era who have been tried and thirty thirty- nine of them convicted for violation of these orders Presenting the other side of the picture pic pie ture Secretary Root says The war on the part of the Filipinos has been conducted with the barbarous cruelty common among uncivilized races and with general disregard to the rules of of civilized used warfare They deliberately adopted the policy of killing all natives na na- na- na I tires tives however peaceful who were friendly to our Government and in literally literally literally lit lit- thousands of or instances these poor creatures dependent upon our soldiers soldiers sol sob diers for protection have been The Filipino troops have frequently fired upon our men from under protection protection protection pro pro- of of flags lags of or truce tortured to death American prisoners who have fallen into their hands buried burled alive both Americans and friendly natives and horribly mutilated the 1 bodies odies or orthe of the American dea dead |