Evening star., 1925-01-29

For nearly 25 years the question OF
sovereignty over the Isle Of Pines has
been mooted, in and out of Congress
and pressed by the American resi-
dents of the island. The United States
action in liberating Cuba without alb
sorbing 1t, imperialistically, has been
the outstanding glory and enigma OF
modern ciyilizatton-confo the
world in its confusion as TO the spirit
of the nation which defies the world
of imperialism with It's Monroe doc
trine, yet unselfshly submits TO mo-
tives of abstract justice in dealing
with the so-called weaker" nations
within its own sphere.
Within the last few days attention
has been called to an item of the
international ledger account which
appears to have been forgotten by
both Cuba and the United States. If
Statement of account" were rem
dered, it might read something like
this:
UNITED STATES CAPITAL.
Tn. Republic of Cuba. Debtor,
To the United states of America.
cupation of Cuba, per re-
quest of the government
treaty obligations (as per
To interest at per cent, aver
age term, 1eos-1925, II
years (simple interesp. ...... b,see, ,25o.o
the United States Navy in
said occupation. 3,OOO,OoO.OC
To interest on same, II years, - :,
at per cent. 2,5ooooo.ut
Total ldue..........sl SIS, ,a24, $50. .OC
eTPLEAsE REMIT By RETURN MAIL.
1t will be noted that the above
fy q
costs of the first occupation, imme-
diately following the war Of liberia
tion of Cuba from Spain. All expenses
of that occupation, under the gov
ernorship of Gen. Leonard Wood
pending the pacification of the island
and the organization of the govern
ment OF the Republic Of Cuba, were
so involved IN our general expenses OF
carrying on our own war agalns'
Spain that no account against Cuba
was ever kept 1t constitutes oul
free will Offering TO liberty and inde-
pendence of the Western Hemisphere
That war Of liberation is variously
estimated to have cost US between
Sis, o00,0 900 and s25,000,000. We Re
member the Maine," and our expense
in avenging that outrage was ours
alone.
There is no separate account Of the
actual expense Of our Navy in the
second Intervention, but some years
ago Representative Stevens of Min
nesota (now deceased) made care
full estimate from data gathered from
official figures, and his findings were
approximately s3,000,00o. The figures
stated above as to the Army are Of
foial, as reported yesterday from the
War Department.
No official demand has been made
upon Cuba for settlement, because
during President Roosevelts and
President Tafts administrations i'm
mediately following the intervention
1t was known that Cuba was toe
weak to consider such an account
Then came President Wilson's term
with little Improvement on the par
of the island affairs, and then came
the World War, with it's strair
upon all international interests anc
strength
But the fact that a separate and
itemized account was kept in the
War Department when Secretary OF
War Taft was chief in the actual in
| tervention and was temporarily Gov
| ernor of Cuba, while also Secret tar5
| of War of the United States, indicates
| that the usual law Of nations thai
! the cost Of an army of occupation o.
q foreign country, whether belliger-
ent to the de facto government or BY
| request of that government, was tc
be paid by the nation occupied, was