Cannot Deny

While the fanatically brave, nomadic Druses of Syria were waging guerrilla rebellion against the French (1922-27) it was several times stated by correspondents that the French commanders from General Maurice Sarrail down were wantonly cruel in suppressing the rebellion, and, in some cases, incompetent. Naturally the French Government could take only one attitude toward such charges at the time, flat denial; but last week War Minister Paul Painleve said before the Senate Military Committee in answer to a question: "I cannot deny that the War Ministry holds General Michaud sufficiently responsible for the wiping out of the column under his command in Syria last year, to have withheld from this officer promotions which his career would otherwise have dictated."