'"
Seconded by Luke Lea of Tennessee.
THE CHAIRMAN: "The motion is now for the adoption of the resolution as
read, substituting the word 'demand' for 'request.'"
ALBERT H. WILSON (of Idaho): "Gentlemen of this convention, before
this is put to the body of this house, I want to offer a resolution
that the man who convicted these men at Camp Funston be permitted to
give the facts of those convictions and the facts of those discharges
to the body of this house. I refer, gentlemen, to Major Foster, of
Camp Funston, of the General Staff at Camp Funston, and I offer a
resolution to that effect. Will you hear him?"
Assent from the audience.
MR. GASTON: "I second that."
THE CHAIRMAN: "It isn't necessary to have a resolution to that effect.
The discussion would be germane to the question before the house."
MAJOR FOSTER (of Missouri): "Gentlemen, on May 18, 1917, the Congress
of these United States passed an act defining what should be done in
regard to conscientious objectors. That act, as you are all probably
familiar with, says nothing about the I.W.W.--the so-called
humanitarian, the slacker, and the anarchist, and yet for some unknown
reason about 135 such cattle were shipped out to Camp Funston,
segregated, were not required to do military service, were tried for
disobedience to a lawful order in time of war, duly convicted,
sentenced to prison, and a large Majority of them pardoned out of the
penitentiary within two months.
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