The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-26
THE FOLLY OF THE BELLIGERENCY
SCHEME

If the House had followed the Senate
some months ago in recognizing the bellig-
erency of Cuba, the United States could
not now send supplies to the starving Gu
bans without violating the law of neutral
ity by giving aid to one of the recognized
parties to war. AS the Spanish author
tiles have taken no steps to relieve the dis
tress and have shown no disposition to do
so, they might be glad of any excuse which
would enable them to refuse the distribu
ton of food under the auspices of the
United States on the ground that it would
be giving aid to an acknowledged enemy
Of Spain under arms. Furthermore, the
recognition Of belligerency would be a prac-
teal admission that the war must be waged
until one or the other of the recognized
belligerents should be destroyed. Having
committed ourselves to that theory it
would be impossible for us to turn about
and demand that the war be brought to
a speedy conclusion upon humanitarian
grounds. 1t is very doubtful If the insur-
gents would now be in so favorable posi-
ton as they are if they had been recog-
nized as belligerents. All of their arms and
tries. Vessels under the United States flag
could sail near any part of the coast of
Cuba without interference on the part of
Spain, but as soon as the right of bellig-
erency were declared by the United States,
Spanish revenue or war vessels could stop
every vessel on the ocean carrying our
flag and search it for contraband merchan-
Disc
Now it is different. The President pro-
tested against Weylerism, and it was
stopped. He intimated that the war in Cuba
was greatly to our detriment and must be
terminated. The new Spanish Ministry
practically admitted the right of the United
States to make such demand, but asked
an indefinite period to make the attempt
to conciliate the insurgents by offering
them a scheme which promised local self
granted with the understanding that the
suffering of noncombatants should be re-
lieved. More than three months have
elapsed since the President arrived at that
understanding with the Sagasta Ministry.
The plan of autonomy has not been voted
upon, but no election could make it more
apparent that it will not be accepted than
do the existing facts. De LONE in his
famous letter declared the scheme a fail
ure, and the Weyler element has always
been hostile to it, The fact that the insur-
gents in the field were never stronger or
more numerous than at the present time is
further proof that they have rejected au-
tonomy.
Meantime, evidence has accumulated
that the people who were driven from the
farms into the towns by Weyler are starv-
ing and that tens of thousands will starve
if succor is not extended. These facts have
entirely changed the situation. The govern
ment is called upon to act in the name of
humanity-to put an end to an occupation
of Cuba by Spain which has caused thou-
sands of deaths by starvation and will, if
continued, depopulate the island by famine
and the diseases incident thereto. The Pres
ident yet hopes that the present Spanish
Ministry will decide to withdraw from
Cuba if it can. He probably knows more
about the situation than do those who do
not share his information but the very gen.
eral conviction is that Spain will not give
up Cuba and that our efforts to relieve
the suffering people by furnishing food and
sending them back to the farms from which
Weyler drove them will not be permitted
by Spain Refusal to permit our govern
ment to succor these starving people would
afford the President and Congress justifi-
able ground TO provide for armed interven-
ton.