The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-02-17
|lJRN|NG DEAD BODIES
Of SLAIN M[X|CANS

ton might come IL the belligerents
waged an uncivilized warfare; If |
they disregarded international human
itarian laws and If an outbreak of
lawlessness occurred. Dispatches here
indicate that these contingencies have
arisen. But 1t has been apparent that
American lives not only in the capital,
but throughout Mexico, would .probab-
ly be endangered the instant Ameri-
can troops or marines were landed.
Mexicans rebels and federals alike
do not want Intervention and even
the landing Of an expeditionary force
would be purposely misconstrued by
a certain class of natives as the first
step toward Intervention. massa-
ere of American residents of Mexico
might follow If the natives were In
famed with this belief that the troops
were coming
The administration is earnestly
hoping that Ambassador Wilson will
have succeeded today in removing
beyond the zone OF fire in Mexico
City every foreign resident. They
have had a weeks notice to flee; the
promise has been given by both Ma
dero and Diaz to withhold their ar
tillery fire over quarters occupied by
foreigners. So far as the safety Of
Americans goes, the situation was
slightly improved today.
At Vera Cruz twenty-four hours ride
from the capital, there is. an Ameri-
can war vessel-the Georgia and two
others are due any moment now
the Vermont and Nebraska.
These could convey REFUGEES to
ports of safety. as well as land an
expeditionary force of possibly 1000
men.
But it is the preservation OF com.
munication with Mexico City that
concerns the administration most.
! With conditions as uncertain in Mexi-
co City as at present, Ambassador
| Wilson could not be reached, or II
the department could not receive his
reports, the governments think public
Icpinion would support the United
States in taking hand
! With censorship Of news dispatch
les, state department officials, it was
understood, had instructed Ambassa.
dor Wilson to make more detailed
reports as to conditions at Mexico
City.
President Madero's appeal to Pres
Iident Taft for a statement OF the
United States attitude will afford the
administration opportunity to outline
its intervention policy.
1t can be stated on authority that
i up until receipt by President Taft
of Madero's appeal, the administers
tion had planned to land marines al
Vera Cruz.
Just now, the United States does
mot care whether Madero and Diaz
! and their followers wage war under
civilized rules or not
4 The Washington administration
i simply wants the conflict to end ane
= is Indifferent to the sort of warfare
/ that may bring about this end.
No additional preparations were
made either in the army or navy to
day.
One feature of the Mexican situa
tion which complicates negotiation!
, with Madero is the fact that the Mex
i lean president and Ambassador vii
son are not on particularly goot
4 terms, Lack of good feeling between
the two, 1t was said, dated back |
) number OF months and at that time
was the source Of a persistent lnmo
that Wilson was likely to be removed
to another place.
z Secretary Of State Knox today re
j ceived promise from the Mexican
: federal government that communica
ton between Mexico City and tn
!, white house would be kept open a
{ far as President Madero was able .
: do 1t.
RI United States Senator Cullon
: chairman of the foreign relation
r committee of the senate called O
] President Taft this morning. H
7 would not admit. he discussed th
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