Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-26
FRESH TROOPS NEEDED
PRESENT FORCE AT sAN FRAN
CISCO ovER-woRKED.

Mai Cen Greedy insists that fresh troops
are needed at San Francisco In teie-
gram to the War Department under yes
terday's date he says:
'Desire especially to cali attention OF
Secretary of War and chief OF stan to ne
cessity for additional troops. Not only is
the present force inadequate to fully guard
the interests of the city, but they have
been necessarily overworked in the past
and are overtaxed today Distances are
simply enormous. and conditions demand
ing military action can best be subserved
by sending as large force of mounted
men as is practicable. The spirit and con-
duct of the troops. officers and men. has
maintained the high standing of the Amer
lean army, and a continuance Of physical
stress and mental responsibility is not adj
visable in the present high tension Of af-
fairs. GREEDY,
Major General Commanding"
In another dispatch Gen. Greedy gives
vivid picture of the situation, as follows:
my request OF April 23d for 2,eoo addi-
tional troops was made after the most care
full consideration and is a minimum num-
Der of troops outside this division consid-
cred absolutely essential to comply with
reasonable requirements OF civil authorf-
ties of state and city. AS before stated,
the number is only one-haf that / was
strongly urged to request for. 1t is recog-
nized that the present use Of the army In
the Unprecedented disaster in California is
beyond the strict letter OF the law and ex-
IRENE caution has been and Will be exer-
cised to avoid any complications, the dtvt-
sion commander realizing the responsibility
devolving upon him. The interests of the
War Department have been scrupulously
guarded by insisting on requests being re-
duced to writing. The municipal authort-
ties practically helpless, their condi-
tions having been set forth in telegram
this morning 1t is not understood what
are the recent developments which caused
the department to consider the prospective
conditions favorable to a reduced mil
itary force.
Every effort is made TO keep in touch
with affairs everywhere through trained
inspectors They report today conditions
in the poorest district which are portentous
of difficulty unless carefully handled by
competent and experienced officers Sup
plies and shelter are available for addl-
tional troops, who will be quartered large
ly in small detachmentS at well-Selected
points Should conditions render 1t i'm
practicable to furnish entire number OF adj
ditional troops requested every effort will
be made on the part of myself and the
rest of the army to faithfully and ef1clent-
ly handle the situation The utmost con-
servatism consistent with efficient aid of
the municipal authorities and the people
has been the rule.
Estimates from various sources place
the destitute between two hundred thou
sand and quarter of a million, which
leaves me but one soldier to every hundred
destitute people, and the additional force
would give only two to the hundred. While
inclined myself to place number somewhat
below two hundred thousand, yet the Judg-
ment of others cannot be safely ignored.
hope within two or three days to have
matters so in hand as to state quite clearly
the situation as regards numbers, condf-
lions, approximate expenses day and other
~ ~ "GREELY.
Major General Commanding"