Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-28
HAVE HOPES OF A
PEACEFUL OUTCOME
War Department Officers Be-
IieVe Taft Will Find a WAY Out.
DO NOT EXPECT RiOTING
Think Naval Forces Can Handle the
Situation.
WOULD FIRST SEIZE THE FORTS
Storm on the Gulf Seriously Inter-
feres With Plans for Sending
Marines From Southern States.
Think Naval Forces Can Handle the
Situation.
WOULD FIRST SEIZE THE FORTS

Peaceful Intervention by the United
States is believed by Acting Secretary
Oliver and many officers at the War De-
partment to be the probable outcome of
the Cuban trouble. Intervention is re-
garded by these officials almost newt
able, but in spite of the uufavorable dis
patches 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 yet find some
means of establishing a temporary govern
ment and restoring peace in Cuba without
the assistance of the army.
1t is generally believed in Washington
that the Secretary of War will find the
marines and bluejackets now ~ Cuba and
preparing to go there capable of guarding
Havana and neighborng cities pending the
holding of new election and the placing
of the Cuban government on a satisfactory
basis Acting Secretary Oliver said today
that he has doubt that the rural guards
will cooperate with the United States
marines and bluejackets in quieting guer-
rilas who may take to the bush and make
trouble.
Regardless of the threats of dynamiting
made by turbulent leaders in Cuba army
officers do not share the opinion that seri-
Gus rioting will follow armed intervention.
Although marines and bluejacketS are not
fully equipped for service in the field at
long distance from the ships. they can be
distributed very generally from Havana by
rail, as tentage and other supplies We're
sent with some of the marine detachments
Keeping in touch with their ships by rail
the marines can do guard duty very salts
factor1y at points where disgrunted lead
ers may threaten the property and lives of
foreigners.
The marines sometimes called diplo-
matte soldiers, because they land in
any part of the world and protect American
interests without causing the excitement
that detachment of soldiers a Wa
duces ON foreign soil. An army always
smacks of an invasion, but marines and
DlueJackets do not cause such alarm. Con-
sequently 1t is believed that Secretary Taft,
who is pre-emnent a diploma tist will
not call for troops until all hope of hand
ling the situation with the navy is aband-
oned.
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 powerful army
can meet, but even the most pessimistic Of
ficers 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 aba ted
in the least however, and nothing is lack
Ing but transports for the immediate send
ing of troops to the unhappy republic.
Would Seize the Forts.
AS a result of conferences between mem
bers of the general staff of the army and
the general board of the navy, instructions
have been sent to the naval commanders
in Cuba to seize the Notifications in Ha-
vana and Cienfuegos the instant that it be-
comes known that rupture is inevitable
1t is felt that that course is necessary to
prevent the Cubans from turning on United
States warshps the guns which now guard
those cities and which Americans have
taught them how to use since the Spanish
war. 1t is the determination of the mill
tary authorities that there shall be no
repetition of the situation al Santiago, when
a United States fleet was for days the tar
get of Spanish guns.
Storm Interferes With Plans.
Plans for sending marines from southern
states 10 Cuba have been seriously inter-
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