Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-05-23
THE SITUATION is SERIOUS
CUBAN AUTHORITIES ARE sTRlv-
ING TO DOWN THE IN
sUReENT NEGROES.
PLOT MAY Be UNEARTHED
IT is BELIEVED BY SOME THE
GOVERNMENT is COURT
ING INTERVENTION.

Washington, May zs.-As result
OF reports of danger to American
lives and property in Cuba, the navy
department, at the request OF the
state department. has ordered the
naval transport Prairie to embark o'n
marines at Philadelphia and proceed
Immediately to the United States nav
al station at Guantanamo to join the
gunboats Paducah and Nashville.
State department advices today re.
garding Cuba were very pessimistic
Apparently the government has been
unable to estimate the strength or rne
purpose of the present insurrection-
ary movement. The Cuban military
authorities admit that the situation
is serious. but think that they can
control it. The government is SAID
to be receiving offers of service from
various organizations and individuals
A party of congressman left lla
vana last night Tor their respective
districts in the disaffected regions to
make an effort to conciliate the neg
roes. II is reliably reported to the
state department that many people
consider the movement designed 10.
provoke intervention, but no explana-
ton was volunteered at the depart
ment at the receipt OF this report.
1t has been a matter OF d.scasaloE.
for some time among the diplomatic
corps here. however. that the Cuaan
government itself might be tem4 .ed
to encourage a rebellious movement
in the hope of securing continu-
ance in power by American backing.
1t has been stated that President
Gomez has lost control of his own
liberal party through his refusal to
displace the Spanish element among
the officeholders in favor of the So
called veterans" large proportion
of whom are negroes, who participate
ed in the war of independence.
On the other hand. the conservative
elemena, including a considerable por
tion of his own party, are deeply dis
satisfied with the local administra-
ton OF the island and the distribu-
tion of concessions and special privi-
leges of great value. The party con
ventions so far held have served to
accentuate these differences and to
indicate the possibility of chaos in
the approaching election.
Since the present troubles began
in the island. American interests in
the vicinity of Guantanamo and San
tiago, have been making representa-
tons to the state department of the
danger of their lives and property and
later urged the state department to
procure adequate protection for them.
1t was believed that this could be
better secured by the dispatch OF
American warships to the naval sta
ton at guantanamo md the increas-
ing of the force of marines there.
It was carefully explained at the
state department that this is not to
be considered an Intervention move
ment on the part of the United
States. but merely a precautionary
step in order that. in case of neces-
sity, protection may be accorded to
the Americans.
Two hundred additional marines
were ordered from Philadelphia
to board the Prairie. The navy de
partment is making every effort to
have the vessel get under way By
nightfall. 1t should reach Guanta
namo in four days