The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-08
THE WAR CLOUD
Washington post.l

favorable auspices Alluring promises
of peace and prosperity frightened Il
sky which had been heavy with CONNER
cial misfortune. and disaster. Even at
that time, however, there was threat
eninig cloud low upon the horizon. Its
storm. AS the months have passed the
cloud has gradually covered the entire
heavens. obscuring all else 1t is dark
and foreboding WEI it sweep down upon
the United States in awful wrath, or will
it be dissipated by the gentle breeze of
peace?
Nearly three weeks have elapsed since
the entire world was startled by an eX-
plOsiOn in the harbOr of Havana, which
hurled into eternity over two hundred
American sailors, and converted, i'll the
twinkling of an eye, n magnificent battle
ship into shattered and twisted hulk.
During these three weeks there has been
a surfeit of speculation and elimination,
due to the mysterious origin of the cX-
plosion and to the circumstances under
which the vessel was anchored in the
harbor. \ naval court of inquiry.
promptly appointed and given the widest
latitude of investigation, is still engaged
in the responsible duty. and its official
opinion is not only unknown. but appar-
emily destined to he delayed for
lengthy period. In the meantime. how
ever, certain developments have Oc-
cured which seem to relieve the disaster
of much of its uncertainty. An impress
sion has gradually obtained that the ex-
plosion was not the result of an acct
dent. but was due to external agencies.
To he sure. this belief is based largely
unon the results of unofficial eXplora-
tons by newspaper correspondents and
which are by no means to be accepted
as final They are however, entitled
to credcncc.
In the first place the men who make
these assertions are. as | ann personally
aware. in Il position to secure accurate
information; and, in the second place.
they are not men-as | know from my
knowledge of them-who would deliber-
ately ieopardize their regulations by de-
liberate falsehoods. They are more apt
to be correct than wrong, and when they
say that the forward magazine. contain
ing its 10000 pounds of powder. is still
intact. that the keel of the ship has been
thrown upward until it rests among the
debris on the deck. and that the explo-
sion occurred on the port side. opposite
to the big magazine. there must be at
least some ground for their reports They
may be wrong and the official evidence
may not show this state of facts. but |,
for one do not believe that these CORE
spondents are wantonly misleading the
papers which they represent.
If the explosion was the result of an
accident. the Maine incident is ended
The disaster in itself. however, is not
the beginning nor the end of the trouble
which may involve the United States in
difficulty. There is the situation isl
Cuba yet TO be settled.
But if the catastrophe was planned
not. of course. with the criminal knowi-
edge of the Spanish government, for
that must be regarded as an unwarrant-
able hypothesis until it is proved other
wise by indubitable evidence-there are
three factors to be considered. Any one
Of these contains the elements of war.
They can be briefly stated.
l. a question of veracity between the
United States and Spain as to the cause
of the disaster.
,. \ dispute over the payment Of an
indemnity.
3. The necessity of intervening to pre-
vent the further continuance of suffer.
ing, starvation, and death in Cuba.
Naturally, the first of these will be the
question of veracity. 1t is already evil
dent that the Spanish government is pre-.
pairing to meet the anticipated verdict Of
our court with "a disclaimer. The mo-
ment that the sworn officers of the Uni
ted States dccide-should they so decide
that the explosion was not accidental.
and perhaps before they report, Spain
will assert that her own divers and of
ticcrs have discovered Il different state
of affairs. She will claim that our naval
officers. to shield themselves from the
consequences of their own Incompetence,
carclcSSness. and lack of discipline. have
thrown Tie responsibility upon Spain.
she will protest against being found
guilty by an OK parte board. In diplo-
matte terms. but none the less emphatic.
she will brand cur court of inquiry as
u court of liars.
What is the United States then to do:
Are we to impugn the motives and char
acters Of our own men by agreeing to
SPANS contention. and allowing their
carefully prepared verdict to be appealed
10 some other tribunal? Hardly. 1t
might he diplomacy. but it is not in con
sonanoa with the present spirit Of the
American people. The latter have been
patient and forcbearing. They stand
ready to accept without protest any YER
dict, relying upon the honesty and in
tegrity Of the board they will expect
Spain to do likewise. Only our course.
therefore, could be pursued should Spain
insinuate an unfair conclusion. The
United States would insist that the
verdict must stand as rendered. and be
then prepared to defend our officers in
the court of last resort. This would
mean war
Spain might. however. agree with us
that the explosion was not accidental,
with the further qualification that she
was iii 10 Wise particeps crimins In
that case new smituation would arise.
The extent of SPANS responsibility. in
the event Of an external explosion being
shown. would apparently be great. If
there were no submarine mines in the
harbor of Havana. the wreck was
caused by a floating mine or II torpedo.
It must then he borne in mind that
agents of destruction large enough to
blow M n battleShip are not vest pocket