The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-13
HUERTA PLAYS WITH FIRE.
TRYING TO BOLSTER UP FOR
TUNES IN MEXICO By IN
SULTING UNITED
STATES.
Wilson Administration Keeping Lev
el Head and All its Acts Have Been
Well Within Its Rghts-If Break

Washington, Aug. 8.-Tension over
tn Mexican situation was apparent
throughout today in official circles.
President Wilson and Secretary
Bryan in an early conference discuss
ed the message from Manuel Cara
Adalpe, acting minister of foreign af-
fairs, stated formally, in behalf Of
president Huerta, that unless John
Lind, personal representative of Pres
ldent Wilson, en- route 70 the Mexican
capital, bore credentials recognizing
! the Huerta government his presence in
Mexico would be undesirable.
Later the American embassy at
Mexico City, through Nelson
OShoughnessy. charge d. affaires. was
instructed to explain to the acting
minister of foreign affairs that the in
formation on which statement must
have been based could not have come
from the state department, as no Of
ficial declaration Of Mr.. Linds pur-
poses in visiting Mexico has been
made. Mr.. Bryan also issued the fol-
lowing statement:
THE statement OF the Mexican for
eign office was based on misrepre-
sentations for which this gov .rnment
is not responsible. In sending Gov.
Lind as adviser to the embassy, the
president is entirely within his rights,
and this department will not assume
that his going will be regarded as un-
friendly when the character of his
mission is understood"
Secretary Bryan announced also
that Mr.. Lind would not arrive at Vera
Cruz before Saturday evening. Secre-
tary Daniels of the navy Do partment
explained in this connection tnat while
the battleship New Hampshire could
make the trip from Galv aston to Vera
Cruz in sc hours, minimum time, the
ordinary time for the journey would
be about SIS or 60 hours, and he in
dicateu the administration did not re-
gard Mr.. Lind's mission as necessarily
requiring great haste.
Some officials saw an advantage i'm
proceeding slowly, however, so as to
afford the Huerta administration an
opportunity to become more fully ac-
quainted with the purposes of Mr..
Lind's visit than they have been
hitherto.
Administration officials take the DO
sition that objections to Mr.. Lind's
presence in Mexico are unwarranted
as the general public is not acquainted
with the proposals which he carried
nor the method by which he intended
to submit them.
On Mr.. Lind's arrival these propos-
ais will be made public in Mexico City
and Washington simultaneously and
transmitted here to all the foreign
governments represented in the
| United States. Further emphasis was
laid by administration officials upon
the point that Mr. Lind as adviser to
the American embassy would occupy
no unprecedented position, as other
embassies and legations had their
counsellors and attaches
The differences that he would di-
rectly interfere in Mexican politics.
which it appears had been spread
throughout Mexico, was declared with
out justification. All his acts, it was
said by them, would be in accord
with the proprieties of the situation.
all his dealings with the Huerta gov
ernment would be through the charge
d affaires of the American embassy
at Mexico and in all circumstances
Mr.. Lind would act merely as the
mouthpiece of the Washington admin
! istration to any one who sought TO OH
tain the views of President Wilson
and Secretary Bryan on the situation
generally.
Most of the Republicans as well as
Democrats Of the two congressional
committees on foreign relations have
indicated that they will support the
efforts of President Wilson 10 bring
about peace in Mexico. a great
many senator's, however, are in ia
for of lifting the embargo on arms.
Tomorrow the senate foreign rela-
tions committee has a scheduled
meeting ana undoubtedly will discuss
the situation. There is no indica-
ton. however. that there will be any
further developments, as far as the
Washington government is concerned.
until Mr.. Lind arrives in the Mexican
capital either Sunday night or Mon