The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-11
ARE NOT IMMUNE.
Soldiers Enlisted in the South
Serving ia Cuba
Contract Disease More Readily
Than Others.
COLONEL RAYS PLAN
Is to Recruit From DiSbanded
Cubans.
Many Reasons Advanced in Fa-
VOr Of Doing So.

partment is giving serious attention TO
the state of health of the Third i'm
munes as well as to the depletion of the
regiment by sickness and the enormous
number of discharges that have been
granted and the probability is that they
will be transferred before long.
Colonel Ray has a scheme for reor-
ganiZing the regiment which he believes
could be made to work successfully It
is that four companies of Cubans could
be enlisted many of whom have been
insurgents during the instruction
would be only too glad to enlist under
the stars and stripes.
He would not at first have any Gu
ban commanding officers, but would ap-
point to those companies officers of his
regiment who have made some pro-
gress in the Spanish language.
For each company he would have one
Interpreter but he believes that the men
would very soon learn English, for all
military orders would be given to them
in that language. He believes that Gu
bans all over the province would will
hngly join companies thus organized
in the different immune regiments and
that the members of these compan MES
would in reality be immune which it
has been conclusively proved that the
others were not.
COLDER THE BETTER.
Indeed those enlisted from the gulf
states have succumbed to levers and
malaria much quicker than those who
have come from colder cliInes, proving
that the colder climate a man comes
from the better health he has enjoyed
in Cuba. Col. Ray himself is an in
stance of this, for he has lived for
many years where the winters were
very cold He has been in the Klon-
dixie and similar places and since his
arrival in Cuba he has not suffered
from a single days sickness
Col Ray believes that the term of en-
for
be less than two years and that they
should be enlisted simply for service in
Cuba and as the troops that he brought
down with him from the states are
favor of making fresh companies of
Cuban troops, differed as before by
Americans, the highest rank to which
a Cuban would be eligible in his plan
would be that of sergeant. He also be-
lieves that in six months, it would be
possible to have his regiment almost
entirely of Cubans and he would make
it compulsory for officers to pass "a GER
tain standard in Spanish within that
time, which if they were unable to do,
he would ask for their resignation, pro-
noting in their pieces good men who
have served in the ranks and who
would be given opportunities of passing
the linguistic test, not that he believes
in making the examination a hard one
but merely sufficient Spanish for them
to converse on ordinary sub ectS. partlC-
ularly relating to military affairs with
their Northumberland officers He
would also make promotions to non
commissioned officers from among the
Cubans themselves linguistic the men
having to pass a course of English.
THE BRITISH PLAN.
These Cuban troops Differed by
Americans he believes to be the best
form of governing Cuba during the mill
itary occupa ton, for the men would
very soon get to know that their Off
GERS were doing the best for them that
it was possible to do, for their health
and comfort would be looked after in
WAYS that were never done before and
also that the people themselves would
become more content as the soldiers
though wearing the American uniform,
would be their own race In fact Col
Rays idea is very much on the line of
the Indian regiments which have been
found so successful under British rule
in India
Colonel Raw believes that in the next
few months at least half of the army of
occupation should be immune regiments
enlisted in this fashion This would
save a lot of transportation, would use
entirely in Cuba the money earned by
the men and be a boon both to the
United States and to the island of
Cuba
The second immune stationed at j.
bara and Holguin are enjoying compar-
ativeIy good health and are doing work
that has been very satisfactory to the
department but they are no more i'm
rnune than any other of the immune
regiments, and it is doubtful if they
could stand a summer without great
loss of life, and though Col Hood has
not been heard from on the subject, it
is probable that he would welcome the
addition of a few companies enlisted in
the manner proposed by Col Ray.
NOT HEALTHY.
The Fifth immune now in Santiago
have not proved a very healthy body
of men and they have also suffered
from the climate; for their sick list is
large even at this time of the year and
Col Sargent is believed to be in favor
of trying the plan proposed
The Fourth inmunes stationed at
MauZaniIIo have enjoyed good health
and it is not thought that Col Petit
would desire to try this innovation.
With regard to the three regiments at
San luis, the Ninth, the Eighth Hi