Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-02-13
MAY DECLARE WAR
 AGAINST MEXICO Taft Puts it Squarely Up to Congress and Rattleships
 Are On ths Way.
SITUATION IS CRITICAL.
dernany Remand Protection For
 Subjects s-.. .meriean Consulate Fired Upon.

Washington, Feb 12.-RoSDOnding to the inn beratiVe call of Europe and the belated plea of tine American am bassador at Mexico City that Ameri- cans and foreigners be protected from the terrors of the internacine war in Mexico City, President Taft issued a spectacular manifesto today which practically advises Congress that the. army and navy are ready to do their duty in Mexico and thus puts it up to Con greSS to act.
 It is believed here after all day conterent es at the White House. the state department, the war department and the navy department that if Con- gross does not take cogniZance of the situation tomorrow the president will take means, either by message or oth erWise, to inform it formally of what he has already informed it through the newspapers as coming directly from him in the White House. The anxiety of the administration over the fact that citizens and business inter ests of all nations are menaced in Mexico City and that it will be two days at least before even a thousand men on the RattleshiD Georgia can reach Vera Cruz, was immeasurably increased today by the news that Kaiser Wilhelm had politely taken personal interest in the Mexican af- fair by demanding that the barbarous fighting in the streets of Mexico ceaSe.s
 1t was definitely ascertalned today that the most important of the Euro pean powers had three or four days ago taken a keen interest in the help lessness of their constituents at the Mexican ohpital and had made more ficers of this administration as to the seriousness of conditions in Mexico.
 The bold hand played today by Germany in Mexico City as unofficial ly reported to the state department startled these officers and they re- luctantly admitted that Ambassador Wilson had asked DiaZ and Madero alike to give protection ito the for eign missions"
 This is precisely what the lnterna- tional News Service said had taken place on the night of the outbreak in Mexico City and that it had been done at the urgent request of the foreign powers who had indicated that if the United States did not act promptly the foreign powers would immediately take steps to protect themselves.
 This attitude of foreign powers is we'll understood here today to have the leading motive of the president in ordering the first four ships to Mexi- co. That much the president was will ing to do because it affected only the navy. The news last night and early this morning that the American con- sulate had been fired upon and that there was unutterable confusion and danger in the city hurried him on to his early morning conference and his statement that his army was being made ready.
 The conference this morning was participated in by Secretary Knox, Secretary Stimson, Secretary Meyer, General Leonard Wood, chief of starr; General J. B. Aleshire, quartermaster general U s. A., and Admiral Flske, whose function it is to direct the op- eration of the ships.
 Briefly the result of this con1er- entie was the ordering two more battleships and the order to the commandant of the navy yard at Nor folk to put the four army transports, 1 Meade, Fitzpatrick, Mcclellan and Sumner, into commission immediately for the reception of five thousand men.
 Here the president had to stop pe- cause it is doubtful whether he would issue orders for troops, even when on board, to sail for Mexico without the authorization of Congress.
 It is certain however that the SIX warships which are now on the way to Mexico at full speed, will remain in Mexican waters when they arrive, and that the army will be always on
 guard awaiting nod from Congress Cuba Dips In War. T Havana, Feb. 12.-The Cuban gov ernment has ordered cruiser with two hundred soldiers and several fire guns to sail at once for Vera Cruz with the idea of proceeding as rapid lv as possible to Mexico City for the purpose of protecting the Cuban leg