The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-15
PUT UP TO CONGRESS.
TAFT WON'T INTERVENE WITH
OUT ITS APPROVAL.
Troop, Marines and Ships Prepared
for Action i'm Troubled Mexico.

that congress shall share the respon-
| sibility for any Intervention in Mex.
leo.
"A day of conferences between the
president and his advisers ended with
the understanding that should condi-
tions in Mexico City become so much
worse as to demand the landing Of
American troops, Mr.. Taft will lay be-
fore both houses OF congress the full
facts of the situation in a special
message.
Today every preliminary was ar
ranged for the action which might fol-
low such a course. Thirty-five thou
sand men of the army, navy and ma
rine corps were put in readiness for
movement.
The first brigade of the first army
division, just created in the reorgani-
zation. 5000 men in all, and the nu-
cleus of an expeditonary force of
$4,000, was put on marching orders
y,
Va, where army transports wait un-
der steam.
Between $500 and 5000 marines of
the Atlantic battleships fleet at the
Guantanamo naval station were pre-
pared for immediate movement to
Vera Cruz where they might be kept
aboard ship ready for landing to
blaze an avenue of escape from Mex
leo City for foreigners, as they did
at Peking.
Six dreadnoughts with approx
mately 5000 bluejackets and officers
now are rushing under full steam for
Mexican ports--four on the Atlantic
and two on the Pacific. The first
should arrive at her destination Fri
day. the last Sunday.
Ten other crack fighting ships of the
Atlantic battleship fleet swinging at
anchor 20 hours off at Guantanamo
are ready for sea. They have approx
imately 5000 officers and men.
Five other smaller craft in Central
American waters are within call OF
the wireless. The navys plans to-
day show;
Georgia-15.OO0 ton battleship,
Capt. Marbury Johnson, due at Vera
Cruz Friday.
Vermont-16,000 ton battleship,
flagship Of Read Admiral Fletcher
commanding the second division Of the
Atlantic fleet; Capt. Harry Mel. p.
Huse, due at Vera Cruz Saturday.
Nebraska-15.0OO ton battleship,
Capt. Spencer S. Wood. due at Vera
Cruz Saturday.
Virginia-15.0O0 ton battleship,
flagship of Rear Admiral Usher, COM
manding the third division; Capt. John
ID. Mcdonald. due at Tampico Sat
urday
Colorado-14. 900 ton armored
cruiser. flagship of Rear Admiral
Switzerland. commander in chief Pa
cific fleet; Capt. William L. Gilmer,
due at Mazatlan Friday.
Douth Dakota-14,OOO ton armor-
ed cruiser, Capt. Charles p. Plunkett,
due at Acapulco Sunday.
Within call to supplement this
force are the cruiser Denver, en- route
to Acajulta. Salvador; transport Buff
faio at Corinto, Mic; cruiser Des
Nj oines, en- route TO Bluefields, Mic,
and due there Saturday; and gunboat
Nashville, en- route to Puerto Cortez,
Honduras. and gunboat Annapolis, en-
route to Amapala. Honduras.
The battleships Wyoming, Utah,
Florida, Arkansas. North Dakota,
Michigan. South Carolina. Minnesota,
ldah and Ohio. II torpedo boat
destroyers and many auxiliary craft
of the Atlantic fleet remain with Rear
Admiral Badger, commander Of the
Atlantic fleet at Guantanamo.
1t Is the feeling Of the administra-
tion that these plans are all that can
De done at this time and that suf-
ficient number of warships have been
dispatched. not only TO observe de-
velopments but practically to create
neutral zone at ports where they lie
in which American and other for
eigners in Mexico may find safety.
1t has been suggested in some
quarters that TO land troops in Mexico
would be such an act Of war as can
be justified only by resolution Of con-
gress. Many military officers fail to
see any distinction between such
landing of troops on foreign soil in
case Of anarchy and the employment
Of marines for 'hc same purpose as
was done in Nicaragua recently.
To meet the constitutional objec-