The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-12-09
GENERAL BROOKE
ON GENERAL WOOD
TELLS HE SENATE COMMITTEE
THAT WOOD WAS INsUBORDIN-
ATE AND WHEREIN HE WAS.

WASHINGTON, November 30
Major General John r. Brooke, retired
Governor-Generalo of Cuba, today gave
testimony before the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs which charged in
subordinatiOn against General Leonard
Wood. General Brooke was before the
cOmmitte more than two hours, and oc-
cupied the entire time in telling of Cen
eral Woods conduct at Santiago. The
witness. offered in support of his state
ments many documents taken from the
records at the War Department and
several papers from his personal col
lection. At the close of his testimony
a member of the committee said it is
probable General Wood will have to
return from the Philippines and testify
One of the charges made by General
Brooke is that General Wood violated
the order which required him in maxi
ing improvements in Santiago, to sub
nit estimates to the GOVernor-Gen
AS evidence of this violation, General
Brooke, called attention to the build
ing of barracks at Santiago near the
MORO without General Wood first hav-
ing given notice to the Department of
Havana. General Brooke said also
that General Wood continuously sent
communications to the War Depart
ment over the head of his command
ing officer. The witness assured the
committee that he cared nothing for
the ignoring of his authority, but said
that the proceedings had been detr
mental to military discipline.
general Brooke called to the at
tention of the committee, in support
of an allegation that General Wood
had neglected to work in harmony
with the military government, the
matter of General Woods attitude
toward the newspapers at Santiago,
which repeatedly made attacks on
| General Brookes administration. Cen
eral Brooke read a number of these
attacks and also his recommendation
to the War Department that the papers
| be suppressed unless they desisted.
One of the extracts from the indie
| pendencia, published at Santiago,
which was read, was a bitter denun-
citation of General Brooke, under the
! caption of God Save Cuba" The
article was based on General Brooke's
order for the Capitalization of affairs
in the island, and receipts from all
custom houses were ordered sent to
Havana. The article, among other
things, said that If carried into effect
the order soon would prohibit the peo-
pie of Santiago from breathing with
out permission from General Brooke;
that 1t was a matter of life and death
to the province of Santiago to get the
order rescinded. A large number OF
kilograms Of indignation sent to Presi-
dent Mckinley were appended to the
article.
General Brooke read a letter which
he had sent to the Acknowledgement
of the War Department asking that
General Wood be instructed to pro-
hibit the publication of such articles
during the period of military govern
ment. He also read General Woods
reply to the Adjutant-G General, which,
the witness said had been sent over
| the head of his superior officer, say
| ing that freedom of speech untram-
meled criticism of the military govern
ment and absolute independence in all
matters was necessary part of the
| education of the Cubans to fit them
to conduct a liberal government.
General Brooke told the committee
that on January 4, 1899, General Wood
without consulting his superior Off
Ger, obtained permission to visit Wash
ington, even though he left in allegiance
matters needing attention. Cores
pondence relating to the trip was laic
before the committee.
In the course of General Brooke''
testimony he said that General WOOD
became unduly excited when the Gu
bans held Indignation meetings at San
tiago for the purpose of protesting a
gainst the Capitalization order, TIT