The San Francisco call., 1906-04-29
TROOPS ACTING
WITH CITIZENS
General Funston
Wants Them to
Remain.
Thinks They Are
Necessary for
Protection.

General Frederick Funston, COM
manding the Department of Califor-
MIA, made the following statement yes
terday regarding the necessity of
keeping federal troops in San Fran
cisco:
"The situation here is a peculiar
one. The government has never been
called upon to cope with such con-
ditions as prevail, and it is my belief
that the War Department does not
fully comprehend the unusual Difficult
ties under which we are working.
THE presence of federal troops is
absolutely necessary for the good of
| the city. Neither this state, the mu-
nicipal nor the Red Cross authorities
can adequately perform their various
duties without the assistance of regu-
lar troops.
"The impression seems somehow to
/ have reached the War Department
that our troops are doing ordinary po-
lice duty, but this. of course, is an
erroneous understanding of the situ-
alton The troops are on duty and
acting in conjunction with the state
soldiers, the municipal police depart
ment and the Red Cross, merely as
moral support, as it were. The fed
eral troops are subordinate to muni-
cipal control, and in my opinion
should be retained on duty. In fact,
we should have 5000 troops here prop
erly to carry on the work instead of
$500 now on duty"
Asked what in his opinion was the
reason for the disinclination to send
more troops here, the General said:
THAT is something l cannot answer
with any degree Of positiveness, but
perhaps the question of transporta-
j ton and maintenance of such a great
| body of men is factor The expense
of sending so many men to this city
and the cost Of feeding and clothing
them is necessarily very great. We
have $500 troops en- route to San
Francisco Some of them from such
distant points as Fort Sheridan, and
the government must bear the great
expense of bringing them in here"
General A. w. Greely was asked
what would be the effect of the with
drawal of federal troops if such ac-
| ton is determined upon by the War
Department.
We'll" said the General, 1.the city
SO far as the military is concerned,
would be on the same basis as it was
before the earthquake and fire. The
soldiers would be assigned to their
respective posts and the routine of
the army resumed as If nothing un-
usual had occurred
"Do you think Secretary Taft will
order the withdrawal of the federal
troops now on duty here?"
81 cannot answer" replied General
Greely, but l will say that I would
greatly regret such action. We are
all working for the good Of San Fran
cisco and the state of California, and
| am firmly convinced, after thor
ough review of the situation that the
regular troops should be kept on duty
And" continued General Greely, Il
do not mind stating TO the Associated
Press that l have fully informed Sec
retary Taft of my opinion in the mat
ter Had it not been for the soldiers
who were here during the first days
Of the disaster and those following
pillage would surely have occurred.
/ The soldiers performed wonderful
work in fighting the fire, and believe
the fact that the residence portion of
the city was not wiped out is due to
General Funston's decision in order
out the troops of his command.
I'VE are subordinate to the munich
pal authorities, and we have taken no
Initiative in the matter. We have
not made a move that has not been
made at the request of the mayor.
the Red Cross and the relief commit
tee. AS soon as the various bodies
notify me that they can handle the
situation without the aid Of the fed
eral troops we will be only too glad
to withdraw"