Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-14
DIRECT ATTACK ON AMERICANS
ALONE WOULD RgsULr ri
ARMED INTERVENTION,
TAFT PREPARED 70
TAKE iAaMEplArE ACTION
In the Event ef the Necessity ~ prsA
tsetins Lives 81 Americana, ousiNo
Recess Of Congress, Prssidsnt win
Take Responsibility and os6sa
1reeps Into Msxiee.

Taft declared to close advisors today
that only one thing could force him -
ask congress to intervene In Mexico.
II tho Madero or Diax forces should
turn upon Americans. merely because
they arc Americana. or foreigners. Mr.
Taft let 1t be known that he would
rush q special message to congress IN
thirty minutes time. He does not res
gard tho killing of q few Americans In
the course Of battle rs n cause for war
but looks upon such casualties ~ un~
avoidable and believes the proper auSs
thorities should be held for damages.
II. however, the Americans werc bcsi
ing wantomly killed and the president
found congress taking Its week and
recess. his confidants today declared
he would not hesitate to send an ex-
peditionary force from the battleshiro
at Vera Cruz and Tampico. F1fty
thousand sailors and marines could ho
landed in q few hours and started ss::Ss ss::s
Mexico City.
Right 20 Protect Citizens.
International law recognizes tho
right OF . government TO sen6 s;;ccss. .
force to guard its own citizens when
they need protection. The sAilors ana
marines would he sent to Mexico when
they need protection. The sailors and
marines would be sent to Mexico CITY
"as the legation guard" This WAS the
method employed during the boxer up-.
rising in China and moro recently IN
Nicaragua.
II such a step were forced on PreSAs
ident Taft while congress- was not ~
session the president plans to follow is
Immediately with a message sAtllAes
forth what he had done and asklAG A31st
thority to send United 6tatea txQ4oo
across the border. '.ss-s4
May Cut communisslieNas Ii y. .ss,
The president was disturbed tcdHy
when he heard reports that coiAlngnifl
cation between Mexico City and tnQs
United States might be cut on. He
condition would that In China
when the foreigners penned up In
Pekin could not communicate with the
outside world.
President Taft met the cabinet at
the usual semi weekly session and the
Mexican situation was generally dis
cussesd. II was understood that tins
cabinet Ia In complete accord with tho
presidents attitude as 1t was Expressed
in his talks with callers today. SecrG.
tary Knox upon entering the confcrS
ence declared there was nothing spe-
cifc to be considered and that he had
received no important dispatches since
last night.
Position Stated Two Years Ago.
The president referred some Of his
callers to Il letter which he wrote from
Augusta, Ga. nearly two years ago to
Maj Gen. Leonard Wood, chief OF STAN
OF the army. explaining his reasons FOR
the order mobelizirg troops then on the
Texas border. In that letter the pres.
ident said:
my determined purpose Is to be IN
position so that when danger to
American lives and property in Mcx-
leo threatens and the existing gov-
ernment is rendered helpless. can
promptly execute congressional orders
to protect them with effect
Acts Of Violence at Acapulco.
Many acts OF violence have been
committed at Acapulco against Ameri.
cans. They eliminated In a street at.
tack on two officers OF the cruiser
Denver before her departure for Aca.
Julia, Salvador. Wednesday.
These demonstrations of hostility en-
dangering the lives OF hundreds os
Americans. so thoroughly alarmed off
flcials here that today they ordered
the Denver by wireless to return.
In addition to the regular American
colony at Acapulco are American
rnnchers and miners forced 20 Acc Into
the city by rebel depridations In the
countryside. All these refugees are do.
pendent on protection from the navy
as the rebels forced suspension Of
work on railroads which nave connects
ed the Pacific coast with the Mexican
capital