Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-04
TALK
DUE CUBA FROM
GEN. CROWDER
Unless Situation COOls by
May, United States VIII
Intervene, Is Plan.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4-When Mai.
Gen. Enoch Il. Crowder arrives in Ha-
vana on the battleship Minnesota tOmOr-
Tow he viii be prepared to give Presi-
dent Menocal Of Cuba some straight
from-th shoulder talk.
General Crowder has Instructions from
President Wilson to convey to MenOca.
this Governments views on the present
situation in Cuba and to point out that
in many respects It is little different
from that prevailing in 1906 when Presi-
dent Roosevelt ordered COCO soldiers
there to undertake the second American
Intervention"
Menocars term of Office expires in
May, 1921, and General Crowder Will In
form the Cuban president that If no
decision has been reached as to who
shall succeed TO the Office, then an ad
interim government must be established
and the United States would have no
choice but to intervene. Under the Cuban
constitution and the American treaty the
United States alone has power TO admin
lister an ad interim government.
Crowder will tell MenocaI that, al
though elections were held in Cuba at
the same time they were held in the
United states, there has been no definite
announcement Of the result and victory
is claimed by both the Zayas and Gomez
factions
PROPER SPIRIT NOT
SEEN BY AMERICA.
Notwithstanding the obvious need for
8 decision, in view OF unsettled financial
conditions, election boards and the courts
have shown no inclination to take action
in numerous contested cases.
Article 3 Of the so-called Plat amend
ment, incorporated into the Cuban con
stitution, provides that the United States
shall intervene whenever necessary for
the preservation Of Cuban independence,
the maintenance of a government ade-
Quate for the protection of life, prop
erty and individual liberty, and for dis
charging the obligations. with respect TO
Cuba, imposed by the treaty Of Paris Oh
the United States
Unsatisfactory financial conditions IN
Cuba have been aggravated greatly, Of
ficials state, by the uncertainty Of the
political situation and the State Depart
ment is convinced that continuance of the
present state of affairs would prove detri-
mental to the prosperity of Cuba and
harmful to her relations with the United
States.
American fnanciers who tentatively
had agreed to lend from fifty to one
hundred millions to Cuban bankers, be-
came alarmed at the situation. as dis
closed by the report Of Albert Rath-
bone. and declined 10 make loans until
&knOre stable conditions were established.
Hhe holding up of this loan is regarded
es mainly responsible for the extension of
the moratorium.
ATTITUDE OF
STATE DEPARTMENT. 8
The American State Department has
been slow to take any drastic step IN the
case OF Cuba, believing that she should
be permitted to work out her own saliva
ton. Adhering to this policy. the de-
partment refused urgent requests made
by the Liberal part some months ago,
TO order American agents to Cuba to
supervise elections. Acting Secretary Of
State Davis took the view that this was
rot the proper function OF the American
Government, so long as Cuba had not
RFnged karself unequal to the task of
holding fair elections, and pointed out
that a force OF fully $500 men would be
necessary properly to supervise the cleo
tions.
Officials have never believed. however.
that the use OF armed forces would be
necessary, even in the case OF interven-
ton. Secretary Davis. who has passed
considerable time in Cuba. is convinced
that American prestige is such that Amer
lean civilians might supervise elections
without fear Of disorder.
In 1906. when conditions, somewhat
SIMILAR to the present state Of affairs,
existed in Cuba. Gomez and Zayas were
fsading the Liberals. President Palma
Designed and Congress declined to name
a successor Armed revolution broke out.
In the opinion of William H. Taft this
warranted Intervention by the United
States under its obligation to maintain
a government in Cuba and consequently
he telegraphed President Roosevelt for
COCO soldiers.
The men were sent promptly. though
they were never called on to fight. The
TeTolutiOnists surrendered after some
fighting carried on entirely by the
rurales or native soldiers.