Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-11-23
Repairs on Prairie Will Be Pushed
Day and Night
SECRETARY KNOX Is BUSY
He is Investigating Shooting of
Americans by zelsya.
WILL DEMAND FULL PREPARATION
Nicaragua VIII Not BE Permitted TO
settle at So Much Per Head for
Men il Wishes to
XIII.

WASHINGTON, Nov 22.-Preparatlons
are being made for 400 marine to sail from
| Philadelphia either for the canal zone Oh
Tor Nicaragua next Saturday. This will
constitute the first armed force to land in
| Nicaragua, II developments in the situation
there within the next few days require such
course to be pursued. All will depend
upon the action to be taken by the State
department, which Is marking time pending
tn report Of additional details of the death
of two Americans, Groce aud Cannon.
The departure Of the marines comes as a
result of rush orders sent TO the League
Island navy yard after the State depart
ment received the preliminary report of the
Staying by President Zelaya's orders of the
two men. 1t had been intended to send the
marines to Panama TO relieve about $50
marines now on duty there. The date Of
departure from Philadelphia had been set
for December 3, by which time the troop
ship Prairie would have been ready to sail.
BY working night and day the League Is
land force will be able to finish repairs on
the ship by November q, and that date
has now been set for the sailing of the
marines.
Meyer VIII Review Marines.
Secretary Meyer of the Navy department
view them as he intended to do even before
war clouds appeared in Central America.
In event Of necessity the $50 marines now
on the canal zone could be utilized in Mica
ragua in addition to the 400 to be taken
south by the Prairie.
With the troop ship Buffalo on the Pa
cific coast and the Prairie on the Atlantic,
the marines could be transferred from one
coast of Nicaragua to the other in a COM
paratively short time by way of the Panama
railroad.
Rear admrals galore were at the Navy
department today, but in no instance was
1t admitted that their presence there had
to do with the trouble in Nicaragua. Rear
Admiral Schroeder, commander Of the At
iantic battlesLip fleet. had talk with
Assistant Secretary Winthrop.
Decisive Step by Knox.
The next move of the game being played
with President Zelaya of Nicaragua viii be
made by Secretary Knox, and undoubtedly
II viii be an important and possibly a
decisive one. Zelaya has killed two Ameri-
cans, it is believed, in the most summary
and brutal manner and It is not expected
that he will be permitted to settle at so
much a head for these or any other mem
bers he may see fit to kill 1t is therefore
believed that something more than com
pensation for Groce and Cannon will be in
volved in the next step by the State de-
partment.
This government has noJ accepted as
facts beyond all contradiction the explana-
tion Of Nicaragua touching the execution
Of Groce and Cannon in that. country
Sufficient credence is given statements
that have been made to the Department
of State to prompt inquiries into the rea-
sons that moved President Zelaya to order
the two Americans put 10 dtatn.
Secretary of State Knox is authority for
the statement that demand for repara-
tion will be made upon Nicaragua should
these inquiries develop that allegations
touching the death Of the Americans are
well grounded.
Late last night the secretary declared
himself and progress in the Nicaraguan af-
fair today will doubtless be along the line
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