New-York tribune., 1912-01-17
dJnited States Will Be Reluctant
Iy Forced to Act Again Unless
AgitatorS Cease Max
ing Trouble.
GOMEZ TO BE SUPPORTED
State Department, Recognizing
Gravity of Situation, Issues
Note to Havana Govern
ment in Accordance with
Treaty Obligations.
Lrrnm The Tribune Bureau. ]

do so will intervene to maintain re-
,rbIican form Of government in Cuba
tho dissolution of which is threatened
by the aggressions Of the military party
was transmitted TO the government oil
the island to-day by the State Depart
mont through Minister Beaupre, at ma
vana.
The urinary purpose Of the action oil
the United States is to uphold PresIdeh'
Gomez. who has been detied by the com
bination Of veterans Of the late war ana
officers Of the army and the rura'
guards. and to enable him to point OUT
that the alternative to respecting the
law means American Intervention.
The immediate occasion for the warn
ing was the fact. Of which the state De-
partment was informed by Minister
Beauprt. that in violation of a decree
issued by President Gomez, based on the
military law, a number Of officers OF lle
army and the rurales had ATTENDED
meeting Of the National Council of Vet
Grams on the night Of Sunday, January
4.
The note states that the laws intended
10 safeguard the free republican govern
ment must be enforced and not dehed'
and that the United states looks to the
President and government of Cuba TO
prevent a threatened situation which
would compel the United States to con-
slider the measures it must take in pur'
[NaHll h,
note in full follows:
The situation in Cuba as now reported
causes Grave concern to the government
Of the United States
That the laws intended to safeguard
free republican government shall be en-
forced and not defied is obviously essen
tisl to the maintenance of the law. order
and stability Indispensable to tho status
of the repu5lic OF Cuba, in the continued
welIbeinq of which the United States has
always eVin3ed and cannot escape vital
interest.
The President OF the United States
looks to the President and government OF
Cuba to prevent a threatened situation
which would compel the government, OF
the United States, much against its de.
sires, to consider what measures u must
take in pursuance Of the obligations OF
it's relations to Cuba.
The attendance of the officers Of the
army and the rural guard at the vet
erans meeting is the elimination OF
movement which has been the OCCASION
of much unrest in the island for the last
six months or more, and gives basis for
the fear that Cuba is drifting In the
direction of a military dictatorship
which has proved the most serious OBJ
stacle TO the maintenance OF stable
government in many of the Latin Amer
icap republics.
Gomez Defed by Veterans.
President Gomez has so far been un-
able to check the movement. 1t began
with a demand for the practical abroga-
ton Of the civil service law and the dis
missal of all employees Of the Cuban gov
ernment who had been in sympathy with
the Spanish cause in the late war. When
it assumed dangerous proportions Presi-
dent Gomez issued a decree forbiddinS
military officers to attend the political
meetings Of the veterans association,
whicn, a5 the note states, was already
prohibited by the military laws. The
defiance of this decree is regarded as al
most tantamOunt to throwing down the
gauntlet by the military party to the con-
sttuted authorities of the island, and as
far too closely approXmating an effort
TO overturn the government.
The situation, from the point Of view
Of the United States, is the most serious
that has arisen in the island since IT
was threatened with bankruptcy through
the wholesale distribution of conces-
sions shortly after It was placed on an
Independent footing. The action of he
United States is also intended TO make
clear that 1t does not desire interven-
tion and will exercise every possible pre-
caution to prevent such a contingency.
Al tho same time il emphasizes the fact
That IL slcl step should be necessary
II would be taken without hesitation.
Press dispatches to-day indicated that
the Feterans were threatening to coerce
mepbers Of Congress, now in session, to
nullify the law regarding the participa-
tion Of the military in politics. This
move convinced the State Department
that the situation was most serious. Il
had been evident to the department that
PRESIDENT Gomez was practically power
less to resist the movement unless he
receives substantial support from the
outside.
me declared purpose Of some of the
veterans to make ineligible for public
service a large element Of the popula-
tion because they sided with Spain IN
.he revolution had been pointed out as
inconsistent with the individual freedom
ana rights guaranteed I'm the constitu-
"on OF Cuba. The United States re.
sarded the action Of the veterans, there.
iie' as likely to threaten the stability
.he republic and hence the sharpness,
ne warning issued to-day the United
'es being by treaty bound to see tha
Nuoan constitution is observed.
state Department has turned tc
~, usaly, and after a careful study o
~s 'eigations imposed 1t was decided
a' 'he time had come TO serve warn
20 ual Tor the second and perhaps tn,
ume the United States was pre-
.1' 70 intervene in Cuba If necessary
oineials here entertain no doub
'"'eFer o. the result of this note o.
'ns. President Gomez will enforc,
agaiinped IN seeand- nzgas- 49,