The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-23
No Bombarding Havana,


In order to begin actual warfare one
party or the other must strike the first
blow.
But whether the first naval conflict
should be decisive or not, in what way
could the Smelling of Havana, the burn
ing OF its houses and the slaughter OF
women and children on its streets promote
| the ends Of the war? Bombardment of
seaboard towns is wanton and cruel act
OF war, inasmuch. as it is useless and IN
necessary, and as its injuries fall almost
wholly upon the innocent. Whilst enor-
nous amounts Of ammunition are wasted,
the instances in which bombardments
have caused the surrender of city are
| extremely rare.
1t was not the shot and shell from
German guns that caused Paris to sur
render, but the starvation of the inhabi-
tants by means of the close investment
of the city. The fleet Of the United States
shelled the city of Charleston at inter-
walls for more than two years. and the to-
tai result of the prodigious expenditure of
gunpowder and iron hail was to destroy
some houses and kill few negroes in
the streets. When the little sand battery
Of Fort Wagner. on Moore Island, was
taken by parallels after two bloody and
far from surrender as ever. Since then
the means of military destruction have
become much more effective; but while
the bombardment Of Havana would be
likely to destroy more lives of non-combat-
ants than did that of Charleston, it would
not lead to more important results. Pri-
watering is condemned as piracy by near
~ ali civilized nations; but If the fleet
OF the United States bombards the fair
city OF Havana in mere wantonness the
Spaniards would be justified in licensing
privateers to prey upon American COM
merce. The Smelling of Havana would be
an invitation to Spanish ships of war to
throw shot and shell into our seaboard
cities to just as little purpose. AS every
object of the war can be accomplished
as well without bombarding the capital
of Cuba or any other of its seaboard towns
the prediction may be made with conf
dence that President Mckinley will never
permit so useless an act of barbarism. Ac-
cording to the resolutions of congress,
Cuba no longer belongs to Spain; and the
destruction of Havana by bombardment
would be an act Of warfare upon the in
habitants Of Cuba, who have been taken
under the guardianship of this govern
ment. If the vessels of the United States
blockade the ports of Cuba the Spanish
army will be compelled to capitulate for
want Of provisions, unless the Spanish
fleet break the embargo. In the respect
i've attempts to maintain and to break
the blockade the naval conflict would be
brought on, and the victory would remain
with the heaviest weight of metal. In es-
timating the great disparity Of forces
there can not be moments doubt of the
ultimate result of the conflict in any
American mind, even though Spain should
possibly gain a fortuitious advantage or
two in the beginning. But the lombard
nent Of Havana. while tending in no de-
gree to promote the success of the cam
oaign, would be a merely Vanton act of
0arbarism. 1t would be a warfare upon
women and children at long range, and
therefore, deserving of the reprobation OF