Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17

The Time for Action Has Come.
It is evident from ths tenor of the
Havana cablegram from Mr.. Pepper.
Printed in today's Star that the time has
come fer decision on the part of the adj
Ministration and perhaps of Congress with
relation to Cuba. Mr.. Pepper shows clear
1y, though without a suggestion of sensa-
tionalism or tendency to alarm the peo-
pie uselessly, that the situation in Cuba
Is grave indeed. He demonstrates that the
recent riots there have absolutely closed
the career of the autonomistic party who
have sought to persuade the United States
that Cuba might be pacified by this COM
promise. The Spanish army officers who
have melted the disturbances were seeking
to show TO the world the futility of au-
tcncmy and they have succeeded. Thus
far they have not directed the anger of
the chs against the American citizens
resident in Havana. but Mr.. Pepper states
that it is unsafe to depend upon con-
tinuance of such immunity from danger.
The American stands before the radical
Spaniard the cause of all the trouble in
Cuba, and it is only natural to believe tina.
sooner or later, if the present excited
frame of public mind continues an outrage
Will Re committed against the citizens of
the United States.
1t is not 10 be expected that there will
be any abatement of the excitement until
Spain withdraws the autonomy plan, and
such withdrawal would stand as a confess
SIGN of incapacity to bring peace to the
island by this means. While the rioting
continues there will be no assurance of
safety for Americans and cessation of the
riots will mean that the reasonable time of
trial of autonomy has expired, and the
further action of the United States, fore
Swallowed by President Mckinley in his
message. viii be due.
1t has been announced of late from the
Navy and State departments that General
Lee had authority to secure the presence
or an American man of war in Havana
harbor within six hours from the first
sign of its need. Mr.. Pepper shows that
within the six hours required for the
steaming of the warship from Key West
all the damage would be DONE even If
there were opportunity to cable the call
fer help The Spanish mind moves quickly
IN times of excitement. 1t is prompt to act
upon the least suggestion of revenge for q
wrong. real or fancied, and it surely will
not require many minutes from the first
Indictment of riotous rage against the
Americans in Havana for the dastardIy
work that is feared to be fully accom-
plished.
But Mr. Pepper says, after careful de-
liberation that an American warship can
not sail into Hayana harbor one day and
sail out peacefully the next. The coins, Of
a ship of war to Cuba from these shores
Will probably precipitate crisis in the re-
latons of the United States and Spain.
The time has therefore come for def
mite decision In his message to Congress
the President plainly intimated that IL
Spain failed to establish peace through au-
tonomy after a reasonable period the
United States must take action looking 10
the closing of the war. Since that writ
ing there have been many indisputable
evidences that Spain's project of autonomy
was impracticable and that it would not
avail to stop the war Experience has
SHOWN that Spanish hostilities will not ac-
complish this end. There is no other all
tentative but American Intervention.
The considerations of humanity that act
uated the President in writing as he did
in his message and that actuate Congress
in its attitude in the matter call for an
enforcement of the suggestion that the
war be closed The people of Cuba are
literally starving to death. The efforts of
IL,
as The Stars correspondent shows be-
cause they cannot reach the cause of their
suffering. Spain has utterly neglected to
relieve them or to cure the cause of the
trouble. The United States is involved to
the extent that it is pledged to prevent a
useless prolongation of the terrible Spec
tacle that is presented.
n warship should be sent at once to Ha-
Fana to protect American lives and prom
erty there threatened. just as we would
send ships TO Rio Janeiro or Smyrna or
Yokohama if like danger existed in any
Oh those places heavy burden of re-
sponsibiiity for possible bloodshed among
the American residents OF Cuba rests upon
the administration. If the sending of our
ships to Havana for the protection of our
own people is to be construed by Spain az
active Intervention, the American people
will sustain the President in moving d.
fectly in behalf of humanity to stop the
devastating. useless war that is in prog
ress at our very doors. We cannot leave
our own people exposed to the danger of
mob violence in Havana merely to avoid
Woundlng Spanish susceptibilities 1t is
more than enough that for this purpose
We have permitted and are permitting
thousands of acknowledgement Cubans to
starve.