The Washington times., 1912-03-11
CRISIS IS NEAR IN
MEXICO, AMERICANS
ARMED FOR SIEGE
Greatest Battle of Revolu-
ton Due This Week
ill.,. Near Torreon.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


join Orozco before the federal troops
are engaged. Orozco expects 10 evacu-
ate Chihuahua early this week and go
south u meet the enemy.
Meanwhile General Saas, with 1900
fcdcruls has rea chCd 'FOrrcon from the
south, where he joins General AubCrt
with 70 additional troops. It IS the
plan to advance northward immediately
to engage the rebels as socn as pos
sible.
The State Department learned from
Consul Theodore c. Ham, at Durango.
that the entire state of Durango Is
seething with revolution, and that the
federal troops in Torreon are complete
ly Isolated. Armed bands of revolu-
tionists, many thousand in number, are
ranging the country around Torreon,
plundering farms and depots for all
food supplies. The famine, which is
now only few days away from Tor
reon is expected to drive the federal
troops northward Immediately.
Americans In Plight.
Today for the first time, State Depart
ment dispatches confirmed rumors that
the 100 Americans beleagured by rebels
at Falafdena have been in a desperate
plight. One American, p. Kelly, has
been killed, but accidentally by his own
hand after the attack had subsided.
Merchants in Torreon realizing that
the slaughter of these hundred men was
. probable, contributed to a purse and
hired 21O federal volunteers to go to
,Nalardena and assist in the defense.
These merchants are now threatening
to withdraw their support from these
troops, in which case the Americans
VIII again be left in critical situa-
tion They have food to last only ff-
teen days, and it is impossible to get
other supplies to them through the dis
ordered country. Movement of troops
northWard from Torreon started today,
according to late dispatches Wide
spread uprisings are reported in the
Vicinity Of Mexico City.
with his main body of troops advanc-
ing northward to meet the Chihuahua
repels' Madero would be forced to order
Out the guards now in Mexico City in
case the unrest in Mexico state should
crystallize under the leadership of any
oLle man: In that case foreigners expect
mat Iootlng and anarchy would be un-
restrained in Mexico City, and might be
attended by the slaughter of Americans.
Large shipments of arms passed
through the Juarez custom house today
snd yesterday on their way to OrOzsCO' 8
camp, the War Department reported
Frown on Intervention.
1t was stated on high authority this
morning that the United States would
be most reluctant to permit foreign
powers to send marines to Mexico City
as requested following secret meet
tives in that city recently.
Such step, it is argued, would es-
tablish a dangerous precedent and
jeopardze the effectiveness of the Mon
roe doctrine
The State Department. it is declared
is quite willing to send it's own marines
TO Mexico City for the protection OF
life and property there, and 1t believes
at is fully capable of doing this with.
out the assistance of nations who. b,
the operation of the Monroe doctrine e
are forbidden to send an armed force
into any South American country.
No one could be found at the State
Department this morning who was viii.
ing to see any significance in the so.
called activity of Germany in the Mexi.
can crisis.
Germans Are Anxious.
The unofficial dispatches on the sub
1ect intimate that the Kaiser's repre-
. sentative is actively inspiring the
project Of landing German marines ir
Mexico for the express purpose of final
, ly bringing to an issue the long con
tested interpretations of the Monroe
doctrine.
It Is reCited, in this connection. tha
1t was for this purpose that the Ger
man residents in Mexico City recently
armed themselves alleging that thI
United States had failed up to that time
In establishing that promise of seCurit,
which the situation called for