The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-17
TAFT SHOWS BIG
STICK TO CUBANS
Serves Notice of American
Intervention Unless Or
der Is Restored
TRANSPORTS READY
AT NEWPORT NEWS
Belief Prevails That If Force
Is Landed on Island
Flag Will Be Raised
to Stay There

WARRINGTON. Jan. Isl. -si-
DEN. Taf, has served notice Oh tns
Republic OF Cuba that unless Presi-
dent Gomez Can suppress the threat
med rebellion OF the veteran organi-
xAtion. which Is seeking to ov>, ~ ~
the Comes government, the United
States. under tho terms OF the Platt
amendment, Will be obliged to send a
military force to preserve order ON
Cuban SOIL
The Presidents u1timAtum TO THIS
eject. together with the note OF Ar
thur 81. Beaupre. United States min
isteP to Cuba. setting forth the serious
ness of the situation were given out
1t the state department to-day.
A neet Of four army transports II
now In seadiness at Newport News to
sail for Guantanamo. and within q
few days 10000 troops can be put
aboard It with which to enforce the
ultimatum.
In addition to this tho Atlantic
fleet 10 now at Guanantamo and can
be mobiiized In any Cuban port very
speedily. from this fleet il would
be easy to land fighting force OF
four thousand marines and blue
Jackets.
Al soon an It was known that the
ultimatnm had been issued men et's-
versAnt with Cuban affairs expressed
the belief that II the American flag
II again rxtKed IN Cuta tt witt re-
main there. Such an intimation. In
fact. was served on Cuba the last
time occupation of the island by
American arms became necessary.
Note 10 Gome1.
After tc-day's cabinet meeting Sec
Rotary Knox. under instructions from
tho President, gave. nut. the follow
ing note, which has been sent By the
government to Minister Beauprc in
Havana, who IL directed to present II
- President Comes.
THE ssfnatIon N CuoA@as now re-
ported causes grave concern to the
government Of the United States-
THAT the laws intended TO safe
guard free Republican government
shall be enforced and not defied Is
obviously essential TO the mainte-
nance Of the law. order and stability
indispensable to the status OF the re-
public Of Cuba. in the continued well
being of which the United States has
always evinced and cannot escape a
vital interest.
The President of the United
States therefore looks to the Presi-
dent and government of CUBA 10 pre-
vent threatened situation which
would cs.s,pel the government OF the
United states much against It's de-
sircs to consider what measures II
must take In pursuance OF the OBJ
legations Of its relations to CUBA
Report OF Minister.
The text OF Minister beanpre's dis
patch to the state Department, on
which the ultimatum Is based. was
not given out In full At the state De
pArtment for obvious reasons. Inc
pAraphrase OF his dispatch, however.
II sufficiently startling and As given
10 the press was A. follows:
Minister beaupre reports from Cuba
that In defiance OF decree issued
by President Comes forbidding OH
GERS Of the army and rural guard to
participate In politics. which was AL
ready prohibited by military law. and
also forbidding their attendance at
meetings OF the veterans association.
many oif1cers OF the army ahd ru>al
guard attended q meeting on the
night Of the 18th instant OF the Ma
tional Council of Veterans. where they
were accorded q pronounced ovation.
The situation u regarded as the most
serious that has yet press=ited Itself
since the veterans movement began.
The veterans or the National
Association OF Cuban Veterans, which
now seeks to overthrow the Gomez
government numbers from twenty-five
10 thirty thousand soldiers, all Of
whom fought against Spain In the
war of lssS. Their present command
er. General Nunex. who contested the
last election with Gomez. and will be
y candidate In the election next De-
camber, In leading them In 4 demand
for the nullification OF the civil serv-
Ice law which places Oh AN equal
footing the Cuban patriot and the
men Mh0 fuuEht under tbs Spanish
nag during the long struggle for Gu
ban independence.
REGARD Demand ~ Ultlma&um.
This government regards AZ an ul-
timatum tho formal demand Of Nu-
act shall be nuittfied, and holds the
view sthax fsunes s~prepaFing .to~or--
ganfye Q dangerous outbreak in case
the 1eashas OF himaaH and hia fol-
lowers are disregardad. =
No doubts exist an to the obliga-
tiUn Of the uuited States to inter-
veus IN caDe Of trouble In Cuba. where
there are many American citizens
and vast American commercial inter-
ests.
The right Of Intervention was ex>
p11Cttly agreed 10 " Cupa after the
6panish American War. Section Ill
10 the Piatt amendment to the consti-
tuition drawn by the late Orviile Platt.
Senator from Connecticut. and writ
gun tnto MI treaties between slsis eousa-
tn and Cuba reads as follows:
THAT the &ovornment OF Cuba con
SAINTS that the United States may ex-
ercine the right to intervc0e for the
preservation Of Cuban independence.
tho maintenance Of = governEment a<ie-
QisaGe for the protection Of life, prop
erty ana Individual liberty. and for
aischarging the obligations with re-
spact 10 Cuba imposed BY the treaty
u Paris on the United States. now
- be assumed and undertaken by the
Cuban xovernment."
ojtuatien 10 Critical.
omcials Of tho state department
ana olIicefs of the army and navy -
enrd IN prssert situation ~ critical
IA ~ ons which must BE- kept hourly
un&ar observation, The Cuban news
napeUa haxN heen oiled q late With
50. 80 = zlz.A 1assA -,