The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-10-25
A pERI1,ous SITUATION.

With the rapidity that matters seem
to be moving IN Mexico, and moving In
neryerse way, too, it would be
miracle If something warlike did not
dave,on very soon. The detention OF
an American ship in the haroor OF vera
Cruz amounts very close to IN act OF
war, provided the account ,given Is eH-
act: but the release was prompt. Ihe
arrest OF tho captain on some sort Oh
charge of completely in Mexican poll
tics may be found to be an invasion
Of international rights; though the
charge against him may have some
nlausibility. Tt would appear, there
fore, that Huerta is either 'nding 1or
a fal,p or else he is determined TO
provoke war with the United states,
and perhaps prevent the PRESIDENTIAL
election which has been scheduled for
tomorrow, unless, indeed, the stories
are wild exaggerations,
Huerta's action in recalling Diaz
from abroad, and then proceeding with
such vindictive hostility against him Is
inexplicable. It had been supposed all
the time that Huerta and Diaz were
good friends. To be sure, there was
an apparent breach in that friendship
when Diaz was sent out OF tho country
But whatever disagreement there was
between the two was successfully COW
cred up by the excuse that DIaz was
going on diplomatic mission to Japan,
There was no idea that Huerta enter
tanned any deadly hostility against
Felix Diaz; while it is evident that
Diaz himself had no suspicion that ne
was to be treated as deadly foe when
he responded to the call to como pach
10 Mexico. His refuge in the American
Consulate is doubtless q safe refuge,
but if he undertakes to leave that con-
sulate, and is caught in so leaving, he
will give Huerta a pretext for severe
if not savage procedure against hlm'
But absolute denial comes from the
Citv of Mexico Of any intention to
modest Diaz.
It is stated that President wilson
will soon take drastic action with re-
gard to Mexican affairs. This action
NAV take the form Of military or naval
Intervention, or both; or, as suggested,
it may take the possible form Of warn
ing all European nations to keep their
hands off, until permitted to act under
the supervision of this country. The
people of the United States will, or
course, support the President in what
ever action he takes, 1t would be i'm
mensely more to their taste to support
him in vigorous measures, and meas
ures that appeal to their common sense
and patriotism, rather than to support
him in his weak, vacillating, and alto
gether ineffective diplomatic policies
heretofore. His diplomacy with Mexico
has been of the most puerile order.
Great Britain gave him an example OF
what ought TO be done with Mexico
by it's prompt recognition Of Huerta,
and the sensing of the fact that Huerta
is the only executive head In Mexico
that any foreign power can get to by
way of intercourse with Mexico. We
are fully satisfied that If President
Wilson had promptly recognized the
Huerta government, HueEta would have
been able to suppress all instructions
long before this, and would now be
peacefully in the executive chair with
an election coming on tomorrow which
would have been beyond all compari-
son a fair and full election sized up
with what is now possible.
The Mexican situation seems cer-
tainly to be one Of critical seriousness,
and unfortunately our diplomacy does
not give much assurance that VIC are
going to be able to command that sit
nation with anything like credit to our
selves.