Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-29
CROWDER ORDERED TO CUBA
officer Well Known in Omaha Gees TO
Advise Secretary Taft
SIX THOUSAND TROOPS READY TO MOVE
Army omcers Anticipate Only a sufi-
cient zee for Police Duty win
80 sded, AnticipatinE
- = No Fighting.
rom a stan Correspondent

.,dge advocate general, who has many
warm friends In Omaha, where he was STA
toned for several years, leaves tono;- -"w
for Cuba under orders to report TO Scrre-
tary Taft. Colonel Crowder takes Win
him small force OF clerks who speak the |
Spanish language in order that the null
tary occupation of Cuba may be ses forth |
from both the American and Spanish points
OF view. Enoch Crowder. who is the
senior colonel in his grade. since his grad
uation from West Point in 1881, has turned |
his whole mind to the law, and by reason |
of his studies along legal lines, he was |
chosen judge advocate Of the Philippines
Colonel Crowder formulated the laws reiat-
ing to the military occupancy of the Pblf |
ippines and his work there brought him |
eventually to washington as assistant to |
Judge Advocate General George r. Davis |
Secretary Taft. as governor general OF
the Philippines, early appreciated the
legal mind of Colonel Crowder, and the
policies which brought success TO the
present secretary Of war are confidently
said to have been decided upon after Colo
mel Crowder had passed upon them. Sec
retary Taft who is now in very deli
| cate situation in Cuba, with the eyes OF
the world upon him, to speak, now
calls upon his old friend of Philippine
days to assist him in working out the
Cuban situation, should the American flag
go up over the Cuban capital.
six Thousand for Cuba.
Six thousand men probably will consti-
tute the first provisional brigade for
Cuban service. There will be compile
ment of infantry and cavalry together
with field and mountain artillery. an en-
gineers' battalion signal corps battalion
and last but not least, medical outnt
with camp and field equipage to take care
of a brigade. The infantry and cavalry
will be made up of those troops having
seen service in Cuba. on the theory thst
these men can more easily adjust them-
selves to the conditions than those who
have not had service in the tropics. The
field artillery will be composed of light
pieces. easily moved by horses, while the
mountain artillery contemplates pieces on
the backs of mules.
| According to a member of the general
| staff. 5000 men can be thrown into Cuba
in seventy-two hours after Secretary TART
decides upon intervention. These troops,
! it is understood, win be used for police pur-
poses only but should there be disposi-
/ ton to resent the presence Of the Ameri-
cans in the island they will be prepared
! to take care Of themselves until reinforce
| ments arrive. The quartermaster gem
| erals Department has-learned good deal
Of wisdom since the, old spanish-American
| days and instead OF congesting railroads
with supplies will send supplies forward
from time 10 time, go that the soldier in
camp or in the field viii be supplied with
necessary food and clothing without delay.
General Humphrey said tonight that while
he had no knowledge OF the situation in
Cuba he believed the requirements for
speedy action on the part Of the army
\ would be of incalculable service because
| il put every officer and man on high
/ tension and gave him suggestion of what
would occur should call to the colors be
| sent out.
No Fighting Anticipated.
Peaceful intervention by the United States
is believed by Acting Secretary Oliver and
| many officers at the War department to be
the probable outcome of the Cuban trouble.
Intervention is regarded by these oficials
today as almost inevitable. hut in spite OF
! the unfavorable dispatches from Havana,
they cling to the idea that the sending of
large bodies of troops to Cuba will not be
necessary and feel that Secretary Taft will
establish temporary government and re-
store peace in Cuba without the assistance
OF the American navy.
1t is generally believed In Washington
that that the secretary Of war will fnd the
marines and biuejackets now in Cuba and
preparing to go there capable of guarding
Havana and neighboring cities, pending the
holding of new election and the placing
OF the Cuban government on a satisfactory
basis. Keeping in touch with their ships by
rail, the marines can do guard duty very
satisfactorily at points where disgruntled
leaders may threaten the property and lives
OF foreigners.
An army always smacks of a foreign in
vasion, but marines and bluejackets do not
cause such alarm Consequently it Is be-
lleved that Secretary Taft, who Is pre-
eminent as diplomatist, will not call for
troops until all hope of handling the situa-
tion with the navy is lost.
In the opinion OF some army officers the
interior of Cuba will become hostile shortly
after intervention and conditions will arise
which nothing less than a powerful army
can meet, but even the most pessmistic Of
fcers do not believe the army will be
dragged into the Cuban muddle for several
weeks Preparations for the movement OF
troops at short notice have not been abated
in the least, however. and nothing is lack
ing but transports for the immediate send
ing of troops to the unhappy republic.
warships Get Ready.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 2s.-The coaling
of the cruiser Brooklyn has been COM
pleted and the warship is ready to sail
for Cuban waters at a minutes notice.
II will sail with it's full armament ana
crew on Sunday or Monday The Ten
nessee win be ready to sail as soon as its
equipment OF men Is complete.
Marines have been arriving for the last
few days and a big detail came today
from Norfolk. Nearly all the marines
stationed at the Virginia yard have been
ordered here.
4
Water Is being pumped out Of the ballast
tanks of the st. Louis. the other trans
port stationed at the League Island navy
yard preparatory 10 the loading Of stores.
1t will be ready to sail at about the same
time as the Panther. On account OF the
delay in getting the two transports ready
for orders. the hrst men win be sent 10
Cuban service on the Brooklyn II is ex-
pected that this cruiser will carry about
500 ma arines under The Gamma rd oe L -.