The San Francisco call., 1901-10-24
GENERALS SAY
SITUATION IS
NOT SERIOUS
Miles and Macarthur
Talk Of Warfare in
the Philippines.
Express the Opinion That
Chafee Has Sufficient
Force of Troops
Resent Successes Of Bolomen on Samar
Island VIII Not Long Delay the
Putting Down Of the Entire
Insurrection.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

CALL BUREAU, I4Os G STREET, N.
w, WASHINGTON. Oct. 2S.-Secretary
Root returned TO his desk in the War De-
partment this morning, and his first i'm
portant Official decision was not to in
crease General Chaffee's command beyond
Its present strength Of 5000 men, This
decision IS IN accordance with the views
Of Lieutenant General Miles. Adjutant
General Corbin and Major General Ar
thur Macarthur. until recently Governor
General OF the Philippines.
General Miles said to-day that while the
Situation was serious. in his opinion 1t
could be met with the forces now at Cen
eraI Chanees disposal
General Macarthur, who Is especially
familiar with the situation throughout
the, archipelago, made this statement to
The Call correspondent this afternoon:
"I have no information concerning the
situation in samar as it exists to-day be-
<ond what 1 have CLEANED from the news
papers. From that I do not think serious
conditions prevail In Samar it is simply
the expiring efforts Of the insurrection.
During active operations IN Luzon it was
not possible 70 send a large force into
Salnar, and therefore the island was not
fully occupied until very recently. The
plan Of campaign pursued so successfully
IN Luzon is now TO be carried out in Sa-
mar Every town and every barrio that
can possibly be used as a base Of supplies
by the insurgents will be occupied by
American troops.
Excluded From Resources.
When the distribution Of troops is COM
pleted Luckban. the insurgent leader,
viii then be excluded from all resources.
He will have to seek refuge in the noun
ta.ns and as a consequence soon there
afrer he will be obliged to surrender.
This process will be slow on account of
the character Of the country. It necessa-
rily means the separation Of the army
inuo many small detachments.
'One Of the risks in such warfare is that
occasionally a detachment will be cut off
as recently occurred in that island. While
the affair at Balangiga is deplorable in
the extreme, it is isolated in character
and has no bearing on the main situation.
which will go on to final solution as Ii
has in Luzon, Panay and other islands,"
General Macarthur was asked if the
successes Of the insurgents in SamaT
would have any effect upon the F'iIipinos
elsewhere in the archipelago.
"Only in a trifing way" he responded.
"Of course, success encourages the party
which attains it, but in this instance the
success is so Slight that 1t has very little
effect, not sufficient in any event to bring
about a general recurrence of the insuc-
recuons. The American force in Samar
has been considerably increased lately,
and that insures a quicker result II
necessary, reinforcements can be sent
from Luzon without affecting the situa-
ton in the latter island.
Insurgents Lack Ammunition.
when I left Manila there were 45. 900
troops in the archipelago, and this force
IS amply sufficient. Luckban has innum-
cradle men, but certainly less than 500
rifles The insurgents have very little
ammunition, and this has been the great
clement Of their military weakness. They
had a comparatively good supply of am
munition at the beginning Of the insur-
rection, but they have not been able to
replenish it"
Secretary Root will order several regi-
r1ents 70 the Philippines to take the
places Of those who viii be brought homo
on account Of the expiration of the terms
Of enlistment Of many of the men, He
sees no necessity, however, for giving
General Chaffee a larger force than nols
comprises that officers command.
Rear Admiral Rodgers has cabled the
Navy Department his arrival on his flag.
ship. the New York at Catbologan, Sa-
mar. with marines TO cooperate with tho
army in suppressing the insurrection.
Casualties in Philippines.
Adjutant General Corbin has received
the following mail report from Genera
Chafee. giving a list of the casualties II
the Philippines reported to him since his
last communication. dated September 3.
In engagement at Rio Katubig, Samar
July ls-Judson McGrew, private Com
psny B, First Infantry, right thigh. Sc
we're.
In engagement at Santo Tomas, Luzon
August 27-Tristram B. Bethel, private
Company B, Twentieth Infantry, left leg
moderate; James r. Murray, private
Company B, Twentieth Infantry, left
arm, slight.
In engagement at Sulat, Samar, August
Do