Evening star., 1902-01-20

monious action in working for common
end. Subordinate commanders and young
officers of experience should not be re-
strained or discouraged without excellent
reason, but should be encouraged to hunt
for, pursue and vigorously operate against
armed bodies of Insurgents wherever they
may be found. Considering the compare
tive moral Of our troops and insurgents.
and the lack Of reliable ammunition and
training on the part of the latter, it is not
believed there exists any just cause for ex-
ceptlonai caution or apprehension in at
tacking them boldly. AT any rate, under
should be accepted, as excessive caution
will do us incalculable harm. Except when
the advantage in position and numbers are
overwhelmingly on the side Of the enemy,
our troops should always assume the Of
fensive and advance on and pursue them
vigorously. The best defense against these
people is to assume vigorous offensive at
once. To retire in the presence Of this enc
my is generally hazardous ana discouraging
to our troops.
Need for CarefuIness.
Nothing herein contained will be so in
terpreted as to warrant or excuse careless
ness or a lack of well-known and proper
precautions. Though troops should be ag-
gressive, they should be military in methods
and precautions against surprise and am
bush should never be neglected.
I'm addition to maintaining active opera
IlOnS against dTIQeO DdnGS VI Insurgents,
persistent and systematic efforts will be
made through the use Of spies, loyal police,
native scouts, intelligence officers, provost
marshals and provost courts to discover,
apprehend and punish all agents, collect
ors, organizers, contributors and sympa-
thizers who secretly aid, assist and extend
encouragement or comfort to those In arms.
Many such persons will unquestionably be
found among municipal officials and coun-
ellis and tenientes or caberas Of barrios.
Untrustworthy Town Omcers.
'Tt is so probable as to amount almost to
a certainty that the election Of all town
officials in the provinces of Batangas and
Laguna has been dictated by Malvar or
other insurgent leaders, and that they would
never have been permitted to discharge
their functions without molestation had
they not continued to be subservient to the
will of the insurgent leaders and been act
ing as their agents or at least have done
nothing inconsistent with their interests.
1t is perfectly safe and easy for town
councils to enact the most violent legisla-
ton against the insurrection and, sending
copies thereof to the insurgent leaders, to
secretly inform them that the legislation
was enacted under compulsion of Ameri-
cans or in order to deceive and lull them to
sleep, but that the town officials propose
to continue their aid of the insurrection
secretly just as heretofore. 1t can be adopt
ed as rule without danger of error that
whenever an insurgent sympathizer writes
a letter or takes any action under pretense
of opposition to the insurrection that he
will Immediately secretly convey to insur-
gent officials the information that he was
compelled to do so or did so to mislead
Americans. The loyalty Of persons should
not be judged by such acts or by words
alone, nor should the public enactments OF
councils in favor of peace and against in
surrection be accepted as conclusive proof
of the loyalty of town officials.
May BE Known by Their Acts.
'The only acceptable and convincing evil
dence of the real sentiments Of either in
dividuais or town councils should be such
acts publicly performed as must inevitably
commit them irrevocably to the side of
Americans by arousing the animosity and
opposition Of the insurgent element. Such
acts are reliable evidence, but mere words
are worthless. No person should be given
credit for loyalty simply because he takes
the oath Of allegiance or secretly conveys
to Americans worthless information and
idle rumors which result in nothing. Those
who publicly guide our troops in operations
against the enemy, who denounce and as
government, who publicly obtain and bring
reliable and valuable information to COM
manding officers, those, in fact, who pub
licly array themselves against the insur-
gents and for Americans, should be trusted
and given credit for loyalty, but no others.
No person should be given credit for loyal
ty solely on account of his having done
nothing for or against us SO far as known.
Neutrality should not be tolerated. Every
inhabitant of this brigade should either be
an active friend or be classed as an enemy.
DisloyaIty of the Native Priests.
Another dangerous class of enemies are
wealthy sympathizers and contributors,
who, though holding no official position,
use all their influence in support of the in
surrection, and while enjoying American
protection for themselves. their families
and property secretly aid, protect and con-
tribute to insurgents. Chief and most I'm
portant among this class of disloyal per-
sons. are native priests. 1t may be con-
sidered as practically certain that every
native priest in the provinces of Batangas
and La Laguna is a secret enemy Of the
government and in active sympathy with
insurgents. These are absolutely our most
dangerous enemies-more dangerous even
than armed insurgents-because of their
unequaled influence. They should be given
no exemptions whatever on account of
their calling. On the contrary, whenever
sufficient evidence is obtainable they should
be brought to trial. Should well-founded
suspicion rest against them. in the alb
sence of competent evidence, they should
be confined and held as q necessary MILL
tary precaution to preclude further activ-
ity or bad influence on their part. The
same course should be pursued with ell of
this class. for to arrest any one believed