Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1903 — ARMY EXPECTS WAB. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ARMY EXPECTS WAB.

/THE AMERICAN GENERAL staff PLANS FOR BATTLE. Conflict Over Monroe Doctrine Thought to Be Near—Germany Suggested u \be Foe in Clash Over Venezuela— Uncle Sam’s Agents Arc Alert. According -to a Washington correspondent, the general staff of the army, whose duty it is to prepare plans for war with! every possible antagonist, has concluded that the defense of the Monroe doctrine will some day, perhaps sooner than is generally expected, a r war between the United States and one or more European powers. Germany is regarded as the country that is most likely to cause trouble. ... Wheu the war comes, the officers of the general staff believe, many campaigns will be fought in Sputh America. In order that comprehensive plans may be prepared in advance, for the struggle the military resources of the South American republics are being thoroughly studied/ An exhaustive study of Venezuela, ,with a short side trip to the isthmus of Panama, has been completed by Captain Cha/uncey B. Humphrey of the Third infantry and First Lieut. Ernest V. D. Murphy of the Twenty-seventh infantry. They were sent to Venezuela in June before the general staff was formally organized. Their assignment to this detail jwaS one of the first acts of the provisional general staff and the promptness and secrecy with which they were sent indicates that some of the staff officers beliCfe that the possibility of war is not reticle. To give them an official status these two officers were appointed military attaches at Caracas, but the appointment ,was not announced, nor was the State Department informed of it. ■ The ofgcers spent only enough time in Caracas to disarm suspicion as to their real purpose. Then they inspected the sea coast and plunged into the interior, studying the country from a military standpoint and familiarizing themselves ,with the facility with which armies might be handled to the best advantage. Every point, including the size of the ’ army Venezuela could be expected to raise and the-time it would take properly to equip it, was investigated. The Officers returned by way of Panama and investigated the resources and ■defenses of the isthmus. While there they had several conferences with Major Black of the engineer corps, who is stationed at Panama in connection with the canal project The officers’ report, which was made * to the division of military information, Was received with great satisfaction. 'Aside from its military aspect they made a report 'on political conditions In Venezuela, which was highly important. Othe®officers will be sent at once on almilar missions to alb of the South ’American countries. To give them a status they will be accredited as military attaches, but the utmost secrecy will be observed in their assignments. Venezuela was selected as the country to be' investigated first, for the reason that the I staff officers believe trouble is most likely ? to break out-there-. There is reason to believe, says the correspondent, that the general staff has learned that Germany has had military agents nnd spies at work in Venezuela for some time, in preparation for an iu- . yasion of that country. Some of the staff officers privately admit that they believe Germany is preparing to resist any intervention by the United States in defense of the Monroe doctrine. This means that they think the Kaiser is preparing for 'the war with the United States*which he knows would follow an attempt to acquire territory in Venezuela. The genoral stnff proposes to be equally ready for It. The staff officers fear there will- be trouble over-the collection of the customs receipts that were to be set aside by President Castro for the payment of the foreign claims and that this will be used by Germany as an excuse for seizing the custom houses and precipitating trouble.

The report of the'ißig Four for August shows gross earnings of $2,001,290. The Central of Georgia has completed -grading and laid foundations for its new freight depot at Atlanta. Minnesota and North Dakota millers want the merger roads to abolish the t transit charges on wheat. On Oct 1 freight rates on flour and mill products fronr the Northwest were advanced 2 cents a 100 pounds. All wooden bridges on the Illinois Central between Memphis and Louisville nre to be replaced with steel and coucrete structures. Winter tourist rates to the South, the Southeast and Southwest have been agreed upon by the Central Passenger Associations. The railway committee of the Cana idian Senate has passed the bill to incorporate the Grand Trunk Pacific Rnil,wny Company without important Changes. Gross earnings of the Rock Island system for the fisaal year ended June *3O .were $44,370,619. ©pernting expenses and taxes absorbed $29,378,404, leaving net earnings of $14,998,155. Figures compiled by the Department of Commerce and Labor, through its v Bureau of Statistics, show that during the last fiscal year our commerce with ■Mexico has been greater than 1902, although that year marked the high-water mark in our Mexican trade. The Chicago and .Northwestern Ralliroad has signed an agreement with the 8,000 employee of its car and locomotive ** repair shops, which grants recognition of the union, provides ror a nnion steward in each shop, end gives the men on Increase In wages varying from a cant to |hro and a half cents on hoar.