The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-23
FUNSTON SORE,NO
Says He Isn't Regarded by
Cubans as a Deserter.
Merely Posed as One to Avoid
Being Shot by Spaniards.
NOT SURE ABOUT PEACE
He's Hopeful of Situation But
Things Not Settled Yet.
There Was No Intention Of
Keeping Him in Command.

Washington, Oct 2S.-GeneraI Fred
erick Funston, just back from Cuba,
whence he had been Unexpectedly called
after being sent there in command of
the American troops. when asked about
Cuban conditions, especially the rea-
sons for his recall, said:
I feel hopeful of the situation there.
but I'm not so cocksure as some people
are who don't know so much about the
Cubans as I do"
Asked about the progress of the work
of insurgents, General Funston said:
That's all done now. We didn't get
all the arms by any means, but we did
what is more important-got the bands
of insurgents dispersed and sent them
to their homes. The arms they had were
practically all old fashioned ones, left
over from the last war Stories that
they We're well supplied with good,
modern weapons are not true. We got
about 5000 guns from them, which ]
suppose was about half of their supply.
They were well mounted, however. They
had good horses, because when an in
surrection is on they just absorb the
horses they need; they don't consider il
stealing
been told in explanation of your recall
from Cuba?''
Well, tell me what the stories are,
replied the general.
He was told that, for one thing, the
Cubans We're said TO have resented his
selection for the command, because he
had been quoted as saying that the Gu
bans were unfit for selfgovernment,
and were inferior to the Filipinos; and.
also, that they did not like him. be-
cause they feared him as a deserter
Il don't believe ever said anything
4r hof nrt n q
ed the general with spirit, though l
might have thought it. But it is not
true; the Cubans are far superior to the
Filipinos.''
wei. what about the F'ilipinos and
the prospect that they will develop ca
pacity for effective self-government?
"Oh. 1 can't enter into any general
discussion of all these matters now"
sAnd about that story that the
Cubans regard you as a deserters'
'sThev don't regard me as a deserteT
at alt" declared the general with a
good deal of earnestness. "That is, the
real fighters among the insurgents 90
not and did not. That's too long a
story to go into. in detail. My health
broke and I was in a very bad way and
had to get out OF the island. mad an
abscess and was otherwise in bad con-
dition Gen. Garcia applied for leave
for me to return to the United States.
ssThen I applied to the civil authori-
ties for permission to sail. There was
friction between Garcia and these civil
government authorities-the group
that has been around Palna-and they
refused me permission to go on the
boat. They did not refuse it because
1t was not asked. but because of their
antagonism to Gen. Garcia
so, being unable to leave that way.
[ told them I'd leave their usual Span
ish lines, and I did But I ran into a
Spanish patrol and was captured. To
avoid being shot. passed myself off
as a deserter and was turned loose.
That's all there is to that story of my
being a deserter. Why, sixty-hve of
the Cuban warriors gave me a ban
quet that was declared one of the
finest ever laid there. before I left.
That would indicate how they feel to-
ward me
Il think that I was picked to handle
the first expedition because it was
supposed that there would be others
following it, and when the latter addi-
tions We're made to the force in the
island some other officer would be
placed in command. But when It be-
came apparent that there would be no
more troops sent over after the first
expedition. the original plan was car
ried out, and Gen. Bell was sent"