Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1912-05-27
WILL PROTECT AMERICANS
wARsHIPs AND MARINES MoBIL-
IzED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
GIVING AID
ISLAND GOVERNMENTPLEASED
CUBAN CABINET LEARNS OF
AMERICAN INTENTIONS WITH
GRATITUDE

Washington, May 27.-President
Taft today replied to President Co
mez's telegram of yesterday regard
ing the attitude of the United States
towards Cuba. He declared the Ameri-
can governments activities in mobil-
izing war vessels at Key West and
dispatching the Prairie with marines
to Guantanamo was not in any sense
an Intervention move.
Il am sincerely gratified to learn of
your governments energetic measures
to put down the disturbance and to
know that you are confident of beins
successful" cabled President Taft. "As
was fully explained to the Cuban
charge d'affaires, here. the American
governments motive in sending ships
to Key West just as sending the
Prairie to the Guantanamo naval sta
tion, was merely to be able to act
promptly in case it should unfortun-
ately become necessary to protect
American life and property by render
ing moral support or assistance to-
the Cuban government
"As. quite clear at the time, these
ordinary measures Of precaution,
were netirely disassociated from
any question of intervention.
WILLIAM H. TAFT"
Feeling assured that President Co
mez has misunderstood the purpose of
the American government in dispatch
ing the large naval force now on its
way to Key West, the state depart
ment, after having instructed Ameri-
can Minister Beaupre at Havana to
make plain to the Cuban government
the purpose of the movement, has
now left to the discretion of Colonel
Karmany, commanding the marine
forces, enroute to the cruiser Prairie
and due at Guantanamo tomorrow,
the extent to which the marines shall
be employed.
It is believed that as soon as Presi-
dent Gomez is made aware of the fact
that there Is no sinister purpose be-
hind the movements of the naval YES
sells and that their commanders will
do nothing more than use their forces
to prevent injury to American lives
and property. he no longer will OBJ
ject. tits thoroughly appreciated here
that the Cuban president must as
sumo a rather resentful attitude to-
wadr what might appear to be an II
vasion of the island, lest the patriot
ism of the Cubans be stirred to re-
sistance.
Should he persist in his objection,
however, American naval commanders
will not remain Indifferent to the de-
mands of Americans for protection
where it is clear that the Cuban gov
ernment cannot afford it. Admiral
osterhaus fleet, which is due at Key
West Wednesday. will not move at
once into Cuban waters unless some
thing should happen in the meantime
to demand its presence there. The
signal for the disposition of the ships
among Cuban ports will await, 1t is
said, the decision of American Minis
ter Beaupre at Havana. If, however.
destroyed telegraphic communication
hampers Mr.. Beaupre in getting infor-
nation as to events in the eastern
end of the island, where the disturb
ance are focused, the state depart
ment will act Independently Of his
suggestion.
The senate committee on Cuban re-
lations today directed Senator Page
of Vermont, the chairman. to confer
with President Taft regarding neces-
sary recommendations for legislation
to provide direct and clear provision
of law governing when and how the
United States may intervene in Cuba
under the so-called Platt amendment.