The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-18
CUBAN AGITATION |S LESS DANGEROUS Veterans Able To Get All
 Demands AN ELECTION SOON Veterans Demand Exclusion From Public Office of Any Citizen Who Opposed Separation of Cuba
 From Spain

Havana Tuesday, December 12.- I While there is reason to believe thai I the movement of the revolutionary vet
 erans for the exclusion from public
 office of all men formerly hostile to
 the cause of free Cuba has not yet run its course. the agitation seems now i to be presenting less dangerous as- pect than it has hitherto. This, evil dently, is a result of the fact that the veterans, numerous and well organ ized as they are and having behind them strong public sympathy, have been able to bring the government to compliance with all their demands.
 The belief is expressed here that had their demands not been aeceded to, the veterans were in position to make a demonstration of such force that the government would have had to give heed to them. It is believed the army would have stood by the veterans and this doubtless influenced President Co., meg in moderatin his first attitude of opposition.
 One result of these conditions has been the adoption by congress of q bill suspending the action of the civil service law for six months, so as to permit the President to weed out all office holders obnoxious to the veter- ans. While the leaders of the veter- ans are willing to trust President Co., meg to purge the civil service of all enemies of free Cuba" the mass of their followers are now insisting on the adoption of law making forever ineligible to public office any but Cubans of approved patriotism. This proposal is meeting with opposition on the ground that 1t Is unconstitutional and undemocratic and calculated to ex- clude from the service ,of the country citizens who have been guilty of no other offense than of formerly hold
 ing political opinions hostile to the separation Of Cuba from Spain.
 But veterans are in no mood to list en to any such arguments; they are not disposed to abate their demands in any particular The indications are that Congress and President Gomez will yield to them, but should this not be the case the veterans are believed to be planning what they term re concentration or gathering of veterans
 In Havana from all parts of the island This would mean the presence in the city of large body of men, many bearing arms, and it doubtless would constitute menace to public order. 1t is evident. however that the lead CTS of the veterans will not bring about this "reconcentrationp except as d last resort. rfs
 So far the veteran movement has been conducted in a most orderly and systematic manner, except in some country districts where local officials have been compelled to, resign and where d few personal eIlcot,nters have taken place or sa few threats of lynch
 ing made. e sS .fr-
 After the removal of obnoxious office holders there naturally will come the question of filling the vacant places. and while the veterans protest that their movement is non political and thier minds, it is reasonably certain that they will show no general re- luctance to testing the sweets of of ficial authority. sss-s 'r4i
 What effect this veteran movement will have on the pending presidential campaign it is diffcult to state. Many assert it precludes the possibility of the renomination of President Gomez. while others hold the view that, after matters have been settled down his nomination, even despite his reiterated evitable. It is evident, 4lhowever, that the success of the veteran campaign will materially brighten the presiden- tial aspirations of Gen Emilio Nunez, president of the Association of Vet erans.