The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-15

ported to have asked permission from
the department of war to leave a col
onel in command of his force at Teluca
and come to the capital with por-
tion of his men, General Rivera is on
his way from the state of OaXaca with
900 federal soldiers. The federal troops
We're posted during the night at points
considered of Importance startegically.
General Huerta declared this forenoon
tho effort to rush the rebel lines
which he had promised for yesterday
would be Forthcoming today.
Months ago a quiet feeling began to
develop among a few of the better class
of Mexicans in favor of outside assist
ance, but 1t found no public express
sion at that time.
This sentiment, however, has stead
lily grown and the events of the past
few days have strengthened 1t tre-
mendously. The subject is now frank
ly discussed by Mexicans and foreign
ers and frequently it is a Mexican cit
izen who expresses the opinion pub
licly that the United States, or some
other power or powers Jointly, should
intervene. In the Colonia Juarez last
night a gathering of Mexican women
of the better class made no secret of
their desire for intervention. Their for
NAL statement of their feeling was as
| follows:
| We are praying for the end of our
country's troubles 9Hen through inter-
vention.
Conditions generally in the capital
| are steadily growing worse.
Business Stopped
All business, both public and private
except that connected with the war,
has stopped. Even the postoffice has
closed its doors. Many of the employees
are carrying rifles in the ranks of the
federal army.
] The city was in almost total dark
ness through the night owing to the
cutting of the electric cables by flying
shells.
| Provisions of all kinds today We're
more scarce than ever before and prices
scared to unprecedented heights
Robberies, burglaries and petit crimes
/ OF all natures are on the increase owing
! to the lack of police protection and IL
| Elimination. The disposition of garbage
has become serious problem, and the
changing breezes bring home TO the people
the necessity of improved sanitation and
/: that the carcases of hundreds of horses
killed in the whitening fire of the past
week be removed. Foreigners of military
experience who have carefully followed
| the operations in connection with the Diaz
revolt declare that in their opinion Diaz
would be able to hold out indefinitely
against the federal attack.
| THE government has an almost inn
| possible task in subjugating Diaz with
either heavy guns or by direct assault"
declared a military expert connected with
| the British legation.
| The rebels have ammunition enough TO
continue the warfare for several days.
| They also have many more machine
guns than they have yet brought into use.
Sufficient Food Supply
| The rebel losses heretofore have been
comparatively light Their food supplies
are sufficient. The men are receiving reg
! ularly 81 day and a large amount of
money appears to be available. The
| craftsmanship of the rebel artillery during
all the lighting has been excellent and
! their ability TO sweep all approaches to
] their positions with machine guns makes
It appear inevitable that any attempt by
the Madero forces to- rush the arsenal
would result in heavy slaughter. An at
tempt of this nature was made in the last
hour of last nights battle, when a de-
tachment of federals marched down the
streets toward the arsenal occupied by the
rebels and was repulsed with heavy loss.
1t is believed this experience will cause
General Huerta to abandon such tactics
and confine future operations to the bom-
bardment of the rebel positions with the
consequent destruction of neutral prop
erty, and the killing of more non-com-
| batants.
! The death of another woman during
yesterdays fighting further excited the
foreign residents. Mrs. Greenfield, mother
of Harry Greenfield, an employe of
power company, was killed by a shell in
Victoria street This makes the third
woman killed among the foreign resi-
dents Mrs. Greenfield was Canadian
woman
Steady Stream of Refugees
Long before daylight a steady stream
| of refugees were seen in the streets, many
of the better elements leaving the districts
in the neighborhood of the rebel lines.
! Orders had been given to the federals
not to oppose the evacuation of the district
| by these noncombatants. Great crowds
of them filed the streets staggering un-
| der the weight of bundles of personal ef-
| fects. Sick were carried away on the
| shoulders of their relatives and friends.
Many of these people had nowhere to
| so and We're absolutely destitute Most
OF them found refuge in churches.
| Nothing of a spectacular nature hap
/ pened during the forenoons operations,
nor did tn ebombardment appear SO ter
rilying as that of yesterday. although the
constant thunder of the cannon and small
arm fire left no doubt that both sides
were working grimly. Only the military
We're abroad.
| Noncombatants huddled together in
| their refugees although some occasionally
ran the gantlet of the danger fire and
were welcomed as couriers by those wish
| ing to learn about develops in other sec
| tions.
1 New people, however, took this risk
Even the federal troops within their own
region of control ran while crossing the