The Washington herald., 1913-02-14
IDIAz ATTACKS
NATIONAL PALACE
cont,nuea from Page One.

out by the rebel shell that tore through
the main entrance and wrought havoc
in the Grand Hall.
The encampment. OF Federal troops In
the Zocola or Plaza de Arma-the square
in front of the palace-had to be evacu-
ated before nightfan because OF the
deadly shower of shells. The Zocola
had been regarded as safe. Fifty nom
combatants. refugees from endangered
houses. who had sought haven in the
park, were killed when Diaz opened
fire from 1ndependencia Street
The situation-if there can be a sit
uation amid chaos-appeared to hinge on
a Determination of Madero to exhaust
almost inexhaustible munitions Of the
arsenal.
As for DisZ, he becomes each day more
aggressive. mans the roofs of buildings
nearer the palace. ventures sorties. The
report that Madero outnumbers him is
not true. They stand practically equal
perhaps 1000 on each side. While Vera
Cruz ard the outlying civic centers are
rushing re-enforcements to Madero. the
followers of Miranda de Lao and Zapata
are cautiously slipping into the city in
small squads but mighty numbers TO
aid Diaz.
To-days fighting began with more de-
liberation than that OF yesterday. but
the firing increased to a doubled fury.
II began shortly after s o'clock. 1t had
lull-like yesterday's-at about II
o'clock. At 1 o'clock In the afternoon
II biazed forth again with a suddenness
that brought death to many noncom-
batants who had ventured into the
rt.N
had not been safe. There was scatter
dawn. The fighting zone has been widen
ed. DiaZs supporters. coming in from
the outskirts OF the city, have placed
guns on roofs in the suburbs. The con-
dition can be imagined, not described.
There is not a safe place OF refuge with
in the city limits. The American En-
bassy. which is sheltering hundreds Of
the foreign population, is not free OF
danger.
There is a report that Madero IL ready
to fee the capital. but there Is no sign
of his intention to surrender.
The rebels showed every evidence Of
confidence. or. perhaps. II was despera-
tion. At 1 O'Clock, when a blast Of fire
came from the Alameda, the return OF
artillery wrecked the steeple Of the
Church Of San Diego and riddled the
cable Office
Telegraph Operators Heroes.
The operators stood by their keys as
busy firing the shots heard around the
world as the federals and rebels were
busy raining sharpneI and small arm
bullets upon the building. The telegraph
operators are the heroes of the unhe-
roic situation. The help that all believe
will come soon will be the result or TINS
daring and incessant work.
As the morning thundered on there be
gan to come shots from the cornices OF
buildings In the district that embraces.
say, a mile of territory surrounding the
palace. This was the work of the Zap
alta followers who had skulked in dur
ing the night. They are sharpshooters
all. and they harried the batteries of the
until several positions had
to be shifted.
It is evident that appeals for peace are
useless De la Barra, former provisional
president. tried again to-day to influence
Madero to yield. He was curtly. threat
ingly rebuhed-
The Americans here are confident OF
aid from home They approve the bat
tieship programme, but what is needed Is
the immediate advance of marines from
the Coast Nothing in the world can
COW the Mexican mind like the swing Of
even a little trooe Of bluecoats through
the streets of the city. The stolid con-
fdence If the United States fighting man
is something that controls the nervous
system of the Latins Three hundred
American marines would have taken
both the arsenal and the palace in half
the time of the present fighting period.
Hesitation Is Condemned.
Taft has not been quickly condemned
for hesitation. But citizens of Germany
and England, OF France and Spain are
asking in violent talk:
What in Gods name is he waiting
fcr?"
All the navies in the world can do no
good in the city of Mexico. What is
needed is soldiery-and it IS needed now.
Every hours delay in the growing TO-
mentation Of race antagonism means in
creased peril to Americans. The feeling
II the citizens of the other countries is
that the United States. lying nearest to
The zone of trouble. should protect the
people of the civilized powers in a coun-
try that can hardly longer be considered
civilized.
About 700 women and children of Amer
Ican families have been sheltered in the
and buildings near It. but this