Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-15

would involve additional hardships IN
on American refugees, who would have
to be removed hastily to other quar-
tiers.
Ambassador Wilson's declination
early in the day to yield To Gen Dia
request for recognition as a belligerant
met with the full approval of the state
department. 1t was pointed out. how
ever, that should Gen Diaz's forces
obtain complete possession of the city.
through decisive defeat of the federals.
the ambassador would be authorized
to transact business with him as a
defaeto official, although that would
not constitute political recognition
of the insurgent cause.
The ambassador. in graphic reports
to the department today, emphasized
the terrors of the situation in Mexico
City. The number of dead and wounded
he reported as enormous. Shots have
again been striking near the embassy
ana one American. named Brandon
burg, was wounded, today Late in the
day. the Bulgian and Cuban ministers
Were driven from their residences
| by the fierce artillery fire and the
| french and German legations We're
frequently struck by bursting shells
ana bullets. Constantly there is
oahger that some incident will oc-
cur lhat VIII force a change of at
utude on the part of our own govern
| ment, though entirely against the will
OF President Taft The AMBASSADORS
latest advice represented the condition
Oh Americans, as well as other foreign
ers, IN the Mexican capital, as extreme
! ~ precarious and deplorable. The
| American embassy, he describes as
| over crowded with refugees. In addi-
| ton, food supplies are running very
| low and it is necessary for the ambas-
saGerss servants to make sallies
through the lines of fire into the sub
urbs of the city to gather up food for
the hungry. II is understood that sim
| liar conditions prevail in the other le-
cations, though several of these have
been obliged to find new homes.
Many Americans. the ambassador
reports, are displaying great courage
and spirit of self-sacrifiee. but The
panic is still great and an enormous
amount of property, including several
large American apartment houses
whose inmates We're rescued with diff
Guilty We're destroyed
Mr.. Wilson's report at some points is
untavorable TO the prospects of feder-
al success, for he cites the case of
volunteer regiment, which. together
with the goth Regular Regiment, had
been annihilated by the revolutionists
Military experts have also told the am
bassador that, although the federals
We're constantly bringing up more
troops. they were apparently not gain
ms In strength, owing to the steady
loss IN wounded and disabled
Inc American embassy constantly l.
| rushing automobiles through the firing
lines almost between to salvos to pick ur
such Americans as remain in the danger
zone. The effort to remove them all has
not been fully successful, owing to the
| range of fire and the limited localities OF
refuge. An ominous feature reported Il
| the extension of assistance to the revo
lutionlsts from some unknown source
which may indicate the actual purpose o.
the Zapatistas in the city, with the re-
sulting chances of looting, outrages ane
rioting.
Train service between Mexico City ane
| the remainder of the country is reported
practically cut off with the exception Of
the line to Vera Cruz, so that the Amer.
| lean embassy is almost isolated from the
tconsulates. Meanwhile, fresh revolu
| tionary disturbances are reported in TIA.
| maulpas and other outlying states
| The situation in the Mexican capitol is
| regarded in military circles here as un.
| oaralleled in modern history and experts
are astounded at the ammunition sources
| of the contending forces. One army Off
| Ger declared, today, that the United
| States army could not fight six days, az
the combatants in Mexico have done
| with all of the ammunition now on hand
A difficult question, 1t was disclosed, to
| lay, is likely to arise in connection witt
/ me prospective claims of the American
residents of the City of Mexico for dam
age growing out of the street fighting
/ Under ordinary rules of internationa
| warfare, a government is not responsible
| tor damages sustained by individuals be
| vond It's power to prevent. Ordinaril,
/ that would relieve the Madero govern
| ment from liability, but that government
has steadily refused to admit that it il
| not strohg enough to extend full protec
ton to foreigners, fearing that a contra
y admission would involve the imme-
date issue of neutrality proclamatons BY
'oreign countries which would cut off it.
supply of war material
In the event that Diaz is successful, i
is pointed out that he could scarcely
| successfully assert that he was not direct
ly responsible for the damage dealing
hostilities, nor that it was beyond his
control to prevent such damage, so that
probably he would be expected to settle
| these foreign claims when his own gov
| eminent was completely in power
Washington. Feb H-President Taft de-
| clared to close advisers, today that only
one thing could force him to ask Congress
to intervene in Mexico.
If the Madero or Diaz forces should
turn upon Americans merely because
they are Americans or foreigners, Mr..
Taft let it be known. that he would rush
a special message to Congress in 30 min
utes time. He does not regard the kill
ng of a few Americans in the course OF
the battle as cause for war; but looks
Il NJ. ~. l.s--.