The Politics of Intervention

228 THE POLITICS OF INTERVENTION

of a thousand men. There would be no change in the Rural
Guard's constabulary function.^20
As a result of its own study, the board decided that as long
as American troops remained in Cuba, it was unnecessary
to enlarge the Rural Guard, but recommended that after the
occupation ended, the Rural Guard be enlarged to four cavalry
regiments and two infantry regiments, organized like United
States Army units. The Rural Guard's minimum strength
would be 7,715, capable of expansion to 9,875. In addition,
the board recommended the creation of field artillery bat­
teries, more coast artillery and service troops, bringing the
minimum total force to 9,439 men. Neither Rodriguez, Slocum,
nor the board believed a militia system to be workable.^21
With this organization plan in mind, Magoon met with
three Liberal military chiefs—Pino Guerra, Carlos Garcia
Velez, and Jose de Jesus Monteagudo. The three Cubans
opposed any increase in the present armed forces and said
that their opposition represented the party's position. Magoon
stated that reorganization was underway, for, "I appreciate,
as I think you do, the necessity of having a force that will
give stability to the Government. The problem is to find out
how many that is and then make it an agent of the Govern­
ment and not a political body."^22 Nevertheless, Magoon then
promised there would be a chance for public discussion before
he acted.
Public reaction there was, but it provided Magoon no
comfort and little guidance. The more he considered an en­
larged Rural Guard, the more expensive it appeared and the
more criticism he heard. Liberals and others, he reported
to Taft, opposed the creation of a large armed body "avail­
able for enforcement of the desires of a single individual."
Magoon had learned that the people

... are apprehensive of a recurrence in Cuba of the dangers of

militarism and consider it as great a peril to Cuba as it has been in

other islands of the West Indies and in the countries of Central and

South America. They call attention to the racial characteristics, tradi­