Secretary Root's record. "Marked severities" in Philippine warfare. An analysis of the law and facts bearing on the action and utterances of President Roosevelt and Secretary Root.

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The loss of life by killing alone has been very great, but I think
not one man has been slain except where his death served the legitimate purpose of war. It has been thought necessary to adopt what
in other countries would be thought harsh measures,
but which Secretary Root calls measures of " marked humanity and
magnanimity." *
2. That at the very outset of the war there was strong reason to
believe that our troops were ordered by some officers to give no
quarter, and that no investigation was had because it was reported
by Lieut.-Colonel Crowder that the evidence" < would implicate many
others," General Otis saying that the charge was " not very grievous
under the circumstances."
3. That from that time on, as is shown by the reports of killed and
wounded and by direct testimony, the practice continued.
4. That the War Department has never made any earnest effort
to investigate charges of this offence or to stop the practice.
5. That from the beginning of the war the practice of burning
native towns and villages and laying waste the country has continued.
The special correspondent of the Boston Transcript, as early as
April 14, 1899, wrote from Marilao:
"Just watch our smoke l" is what the Minnesota and Oregon
regiments have adopted for a motto since their experiences of the
last few days. Their trail was eight miles long; and the smoke of
burning buildings and rice heaps rose into the heaven the entire distance, and obscured the face of the landscape for many hours. They
started at daylight this morning, driving the rebels before them and
setting the torch to everything burnable in their course.
This was in retaliation for a night attack.
It was the inception of a policy that was pursued till Samar was
made a " howling wilderness."
6. That the Secretary of War never made any attempt to check or
punish this method of war.
7. That from a very early day torture has been employed systerratically to obtain information.
8 That no one has ever been seriously punished for this, and that
since the first officers were reprimanded for hanging up prisoners no
~This statement is confirmed by the official report made by the Secretary of the Civil Government in
Batangas, the scene of General Bell's operations. He says that the population has been reduced one-third;
iJ., from 0ooooo to soo,ooo by the war and its attending conditions.