The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-10-22
ARMY EXPECTS WAR.
THE AMERICAN GENERAL STAFF
PLANS FOR BATTLE.
Conflict Over Monroe Doctrine Thought
to BE Near-Germany Suggested rs
the Foe in Clash Over Venezuela
Uncle Sans Agents Arc Alert.

According to Washington correspon
cent, the general staff of the army
whose duty it is to prepare plans fol
war with every possible antagonist, has
concluded that the defense 81 the Mon
roe doctrine will some day, perhaps soon
er than is generally expected, cause a
war between the United States and one
or more European powers. Germany is
regarded as the country that is most like.
ly to cause trouble.
When the war comes, the officers OF
the general staff believe, many cam
paigns will be fought in South America,
In order that comprehensive plans may
be prepared in advance for the struggle
he military resources of the South Amer.
:can republics are being thoroughly stud
led.
An exhaustive study of Venezuela,
with a short side trip to the isthmus OF
Panama, has been completed by Captain
Chauncey B. Humphrey Of the Third in.
fantry and First Lieut.. Ernest V. l..
Murphy of the Twenty-seventh infantry.
They were sent to Venezuela in June be-
fore the general staff was formally Or
ganized. Their assignment to this detail
was one of the first acts of the provis-
ional general staff and the promptaess
and secrecy with which they were sent
Indicates that some of the staff officers
believe that the possibility of war is moi
remote.
To give them an official status these
two officers were appointed military at
taches at Caracas, but the appointment!
was not announced, nor was the State
Department informed of it.
The officers spent only enough time In
Caracas to disarm suspicion as to theil
real purpose. Then they inspected the
sea coast and plunged into the interior
studying the country from a military
standpoint and familiarizing themselves
with the facility with which armies
might be handled to the best advantage
Every point, including the size Of the
army Venezuela could be expected to
raise and the time it would take properly
to equip it, was investigated.
The officers returned by way Of Pan.
ANA and investigated the resources and
defenses Of the isthmus. While there
they had several conferences with Major
Black of the engineer corps, who is sta.
toned at Panama in connection with the
canal project.
The officers report, which was made
to the division Of military information
was received with great satisfaction
Aside from its military aspect they made
a report on political conditions in Ven.
ezuela, which was highly important.
Other officers will be sent at once on
-, TO oil of tho Snnfh
American countries. To give them q
status they will be accredited as military
attaches, but the utmost secrecy will be
observed in their assignments. Venezue
la was selected as the country to be in
yestigated first, for the reason that the
staff officers believe trouble is most likely
to break out there.
There is reason to believe, says the
correspondent, that the general staff has
learned that Germany has had military
agents and spies at work in Venezuela
for some time, in preparation for an i'll,
vasiOn of that country. Some of the staff
officers privately admit that they believe
Germany is preparing to resist any inter
vention by tire United States in defense
of the Monroe doctrine. This means that
they think the Kaiser is preparing fol
the war with the United States which he
knows would follow an attempt to ac-
quire territory in Venezuela. The gen
cral staff proposes to be equally ready
for it.
The staff officers fear there will be
trouble over the collection of the customs
receipts that were to be set aside by
President Castro for the payment Of the
foreign claims and that this will be used
by Germany as an excuse for seizing the
custom houses and precipitating trouble