Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-02
Bryan Promises Recompense
to Americans Leaving Their
Property to Flee.
WORD OF REINSURANCE
Is GIVEN TO WILSON
Situation Does Not Demand Presi.
dents Presence Here-Hale
Back Tomorrow.

III the rouse today
Senator Swanson of Virginia and Repre-.
sentative Flood of Virginia, chairman OF
the House foreign affairs committee. sub
mitted to Secretary Bryan a query from
a sugar plantation company near Vera
Cruz as to what might be done to guard
their property in case 1t should be aban-
doned by American citizens there.
Secretary Bryan said that numerous
requests for informa ton from American
property owners in Mexico had been re-
ceived. and that in accordance with the
Presictsnt's message urging Americans
to leave Mexico all American property
would be listed with officials of this
government and that those claiming to
hold authority in Mexico would be held
to a definite reckoning for any damage
that might result
Funds to Aid Americans.
One hundred thousand dollars to "re-
patriate" destitute Americans in Mexico
was practically appropriated by the
House OF Representatives today, when
the appropriations committee recommends
cd that item as a feature of the general
deficiency bill, which will be the only
money measure handled at this session OF
Congress The sum is exactly what
Secretary Bryan of the State Depart
ment asked for and with the presenta-
ton OF the bill to Congress documents
showing the necessity for the action were
also given the light Of publicity
Ihe documents contain a letter from
Secretary Bryan to Chairman Fitzgerald
OF the appropriations committee stating
Army, retired. chairman of the central
committee of the American National Red
cross, would call at the Capitol seeking
this appropriation. Secretary Bryan
threw all his influence into the request.
'The Red Cross has for some time been
carrying on this humane and patriotic
work in cooperation with this depart
ment.' wrote the Secretary of State.
land with the aid Of our diplomatic and
consular representatives, but It's re-
sources are limited
Danger for Americans.
Secretary Bryan told the committee
that there is danger In Mexico for Amer
leans.
We are receiving word all the time
In regard to. Americans In Mexico who
want to leave. and we have felt that 1t
was our duty to help every American
away who wanted to leave
I'VE have felt that to leave them there
under present conditions was to endanger
their lives and we did not want to take
the responsibility of refusing to help any
who wished to get away. We felt the
sentiment of this country would be back
of any action In affording them every
facility We could.
the Red Cross has already incurred great
expense In bringing home Americans.
The organization, he said, took 800 home
in one ship. He was asked If a less
amount would do. and was distinct In
his statement that conditions there are
unsatisfactory"
Situation Not Alarming.
Mr.. Bryan was in communication with
informed him that nothing in the Mexi-
can situation required the chief execu-
tive's presence in Washington at this
time. The Secretary said that he had
received a message from the specia
American envoy, John Lind, this morn
ing. The contents Of that message were
not disclosed. but 1t was stated that 1t
did not refer TO any move contemplated
by Mr.. Lind to leave Vera Cruz
The battleship Michigan, which has
been at the disposal of Mr.. Lind for his
return to this country, is now en- route
from Vera Cruz to Galveston, indicating
that President Wilson's special repre-
sentative will not leave Mexico In the
immediate future.
There remain at Vera Cruz the battle.
ships Louisiana and South Carolina
while the New Hampshire and the
cruiser Takoma are at Tampico. The
gunboat Wheeling has left Vera Cruz for
Campeche to observe conditions there
To watch a vessel which it is believed
may he carrying contraband Of war for
| use of the constitutionistas in Mexico.
| the Navy Department has ordered the
diversion of the gunboat Nashville, which
was on its way from Key West to Vera
Honduras. From rumors which reached
here 1t was suspected that the vessel was
planning to land it's cargo in Honduras,
| and from that country get the arms, am
munitiOn and other supplies through into
Mexico.
Hale Here Tomorrow.
William Bayard Hale, who has been in
| Mexico on a mission Of Investigation FOL
the administration. is expected in W ash.
| ington' tomorrow to report directly to
| Secretary Bryan and President Wilson.
Gen. j. Carranza, in command of the
constitutionalist forces at Piedras
Negras. has requested permission of the
p. Blocker. vice consul at Piedras
Negras, to export from Eagle Pass
Tex, a large quantity of arms and
ammunition.
This request was made because of the
action OF President Wilson recently in
granting q permit for the shipment OF
/, 900 rifles and several thousand rounds
of ammunition to the federals from E]
Paso to Juarez. In his letter to the
vice consul at Piedras Negras Gen
Carranza pointed out that Juarez and
| Piedras Negras are both border towns
and that therefore 1t is just as impor.
| tant that one be protected from attack
as the other
| It is certain that the request will not be
granted, since President Wilson an.
| nounced In his message to Congress that
neither side would be allowed to get any
more munitions OF arms from the United
| States. Only a part Of the shipment {,
| the federals was gotten across the border
and the permit for the remainder has
been revoked.
Assassination Reported.
| The Secretary of State was today en-
deavorinR to establish the truth of a re.
port that six Americans had been assassi.
mated BY Mexican soldiers at Torreon
Several messages from the State Depart.
| ment had been sent to American consul,
at Monterey and Saltillo whence the,
will have to be sent to Torreon by auto