The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-24
Washington Realizes 1t
Is Step Nearer In
tervention.
CANNOT IGNORE
ITS OBLIGATION
Result Will Be to Hasten Mill
tary and Naval Preparations
for Service in Mexican Re
public--Littlc More Can Be
Done Without Action
by Congress.

H.
Ing OF Francisco .. MnderO snd Pho
Suarcn, deposcd President and Vice
President of Mexico. after Provisional
President General Ifucrta had nssurcd
American Ambassador Wilson of The
safety OF his prisoners from lust .ucI,
attacks, created painful Impression
In administration circles here to-day.
When the first feeling Of surprise
had passed 1t WAS realized by officials
that this last tragic event had added
greatly to the gravity of the situation
and undoubtedly had placed AN addi-
tional strain upon the already tonse
relations between this government and
that in the Mexican capital Still, as
President Taft himself declared, the
event III itself was not sufficient to
demand any dcpa rturc from the policy
OF strict nonintervention which so far
has governed his administration.
VIII iInsten Preparations.
Probably the immediate result will
be to hasten the military and naval
preparations. in order to have the SOL
dicrs and sailors and marines ready
TO answer "a call for instant embark
alton II further Developments in Mex
leo should demand their employment.
The one danger to be apprehended.
which almost certainly would result
I'm the launching OF an army Of iuva-
sion, would be the commission of some
act or acts in Mexico that would en-
Americans for having assured tho di-'
ploinatic representatives in Washing
ton Of tho disposition api ability of
this government To protect their na-
tioils In NioaiSor in tho surlo Sz,icgrcc
as Americans, the government has as
suned an obligatioi that cannot be iG-
noreh. Therefore ANY attack upon
the Americans or foreigners by tho
tacit consent Of the fiucrta govern
ment, or even the exhibition towards
~ ~ ~.
the ability Of the provisional govern
mcnt to prevent. probably would be
the signal for active intervention.
The administration officials feel that
they have discharged their full duties
and exhausted their constitutional pow
ers in the orders they lave given or
planned for the preparation OF II suf-
hcicnt military aud naval force to in
sure IL successful entry To the McTi-
can capital in case of need. 1T is prac-
tically certain that beyond ,his point
the executive would not proceed, c%-
cept upon direct instructions from Con-
grcss as the exhibition of military
force beyond the seacoast towns OF
Mexico might be regarded AS an act OF
war. which. under the Constitution,
can be directed only by Congress.
Matter Must 60 tn Congress.
To secure this direction probably it
will bc necessary for President Taft
10 communicate with Congress through
special mcssag &c, rcctttnS the recent
events and existing coalitions III Mex
leo aud asl1int. for instructions The
President, though having considered
tho prcpara ton OF such a message, has
been reluctant to forward II, and prob
ably will not do so unless graNcr events
happen in Alcaico in the remaining days
OF his administration.
Secretary Stimson and Major General
Wood made no change to-day i'll the
program of the concentration of troops
at Galveston, which Is now smoothly
working out in conformity with yes
tcrday's orders to Major General VIII
liam II. Carter, commanding the Second
Division OF the army. at Chicago. These
orders called for the dispatch TO Gal
weston of the elements that make up
only one brigade of troops, namely.
the Fifth Brigade, Second Division,
commanded by Brigndicr- r-Gonerai Fred
crick A. Smith. and comprising the
Fourth, Seventh. Nineteenth and Twcn-
ty-eighth Regiments OF Infantry, ID
Company, Second Battalion. Engineers.
Field Hospital and Ambulance Corps
No. 8. one signal company from Fort
Lcavenworth, the Fourth Mountain
Battery of Field Artillery and three
pack trains. These troops should all
be in Galveston before the end of the
present week, at the latest.
Two other briGadcs OF troops arc
under preparatory orders to entrain
for the Texas seaport and. as Indicated
by President Taft iii his statement
yesterday, these, or two other brigades,
If IL is decided to make Il change in
the composition of the force, doubt
less will be directed to start almost
Immediately The Fourth Brigade is
composed of the Twenty third Infan-
try, at Fort Benjamin Harrison. In
dianapolis; the Twenty sixth Infantry.
at Fort Wayne and Fort Brady, Mich.,
and the Twenty seventh Infantry. at
Fort Sheridan, III
Iirst Brigade Prepared.
Tho First Brigade, First Division,
posed OF the Third Infantry, al Madi-
son Barracks and Fort Ontario. y. ";
tho Tnenty- ninth Infantry mt Forts J..
Porter and Niagara, n. j., and the Fifth
Infantry at Plattsburg Barracks. -. Y.
1t also is possible that orders will
be issued eventually to tho Fourth
Cavalry Brigade to rendezvous at Gal
vc3ton, but as these troops are now
altogether in Texas, engaged in patrol
duty, for the most part along the
bordcr snG generally within each reach
of the seacoast, probably their ordors
will be the last to Issue. This brigade
comprisor tho Eleventh and Fifteenth
CavalrI.
AS resident Taft has mentioned tho
participation OF the feet in this propa-
ratory program. 1t may bo recalled that
the navy has beon quietly but effec-
tively moving to be In readiness for
any prospective demand, the General
Board realizing that upon the navy
MUST devolve the duty of opening q
way for the successful employment of
troops in e campaign Of invasion. AL
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