The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-09-12
State, Nay and War Depart
 nent Are Very Busy
OFFICIALS ARE AFTER FACTS
American Cruiser Des Moines Hao Been Sent to Key West, Where It Will Be Held In Readi-
 ness for Service.

Washington, September 1.-The crfti-
 cal situation in Cuba is absorbing the
 attention of the administration to the ex-
 clusion of all other foreign topics, as in-
 dicated by the activity of the officials in
 the state, navy and war dek k1rtments.
 The President at Oyster Bay is keeping
 in close touch with every development
 of the revolutionary movement in Cuba,
 and is in constant communication by
 wire with the officials here who indeed.
 are even in receipt of detailed instruc-
 tions from him as to what they shall do.
 The prime object of the administration
 at present is to get at the facts, which
 is no easy task, in view of the mass of indefinite statements that emanate from various quarters. Particularly is it de-
 sired to know the precise strength of the revolutionary sentiment in Cuba, and the relative powers of the government and
 the insurgents there.
 | MT Morgan, American minister to Ha-
 vana is understood to be hastening from | Europe, where he has been on vacation
 to the Cuban capital, and meanwhile MT.
 Eleeper, the secretary of the American
 legation at Havana, who Is acting as
 charge, is supplying the state depart
 ment with a daily bulletin containing such
 facts as he is able to gather.
 It is realized, however, that MT. | Sleeper Is bound to accept the official
 rendition of the daily collisions between ] President Palmas troops and the insur- 1 gents in the field. He has no means of
 securing the rebels statements of these same occurrences, and in the view of
 officials here there is good reason to be-
 ieve that the whole truth Is not disclosed
 by either side.
 Will Proceed With Care.
 sos as stated today officially, 1t is the purpose of the administration to proceed with great deliberation in dealing with
 the Cuban question, and it was on the | highest authority that there would be no
 intervention by the United States unless 1 the rebellion assumed the proportions of
 general conhagration. It was further
 stated that there had been no application | for intervention from any authorized party which statement answered an in-
 auiry as to whether any of the foreign
 
 suffering from the depredations of the
 Cuban insurgents and called upon the | United States government to step in and
 preserve the peace.
 | Another interesting statement from of-
 fcials was to the effect that careful in- ouiry had satisfied the administration | that none of the American capitalists in- terested in Cuban institutions and proper
 ties expressed a desire for the interven-
 ton of this government under the terms of the Platt amendment.
 | On the contrary. the people seemed ad- verse to such action, figuring that it
 would precipitate the destruction of their | properties during the long guerrilla war ] fare that might be expected to follow the 1 landing of American troops in Cuba. They | realized that even if they were paid for | the property so destroyed, about which 1t 1 is pointed out there is no certainty many international lawyers holding that a gov | ernment Is not responsible for losses | caused by rebels, it might be a matter of | ten or more years before any judgment could be had, so they preferred peace un- | der present conditions.
 Des Moines Sails.
 The development of the day was the | admission that the American cruiser Des | Moines, which sailed yesterday hastily. l had gone southward to Key West with
 the ultimate purpose of proceeding to Ha- vana if developments within the next two | days seem to warrant such action. At | Key West the Des Moines will be about | eight hours run from Havana, and while waiting Commander Halsey will be in close communication with the navy de- | partment There is no intention in the | movement of the Des Moines toward par 1 tiality toward one side or the other in | the present conflict in Cuba The ship will | be in Havana to serve as an asylum In | case of need. and will be at the disposal | of the American charge. She is not a | formidable craft. being only of 3100 tons | displa cement and with a main battery of | e-inch guns but for the duty intended she
 will be quite as effective as a battle
 ship.
 | If the navy department is making ready l in other respects for further contingencies l in Cuba the fact Is carefully concealed at the department but it is known that l the ambition of the general board is to | keep the ships in state of preparedness,
 and it Is believed there will be no diff fculty in dispatching almost immediately
 from the home posts any naval force that might be required in Cuba.
 | For its part, the army is prepared to answer any call though there are abso- | lutely no orders yet from the President
 or Secretary of War The individual of |
 merely making ready for any emergency | without specific instructions.
 | Tn case the United States government | finds it necessary to intervene in Cuban affairs under the provisions of the Platt | amendment, which gives the government power to maintain public order. the forces which would have to be used for that | purpose would be found In a much better state of preparation than when hostili-
 ties began between the United States and | Spain.
 | The long military occupation of Cuba | by the United States afforded an oppor- l tunity to army officers to become faml- | far with the island and probably no por- | tion of the earth is better known to the military authorities of the United States | than the island of Cuba. Tn addition to | the familiarity of the army officers with | the geography and general condition of 1 Cuba, all of the supply departments are better equipped. It is not expected that | a large force would be used In case of in- | tervention, at least not for some time. and not unless there was need of large force. The supply departments of the
 army have on hand all that Is necessary