Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-18

him. today, that these meetings might
be misunderstood throughout the
United States and in Mexico and that
their significance might be magnified.
The cabinet officers felt that the fire.
quent reports of these late meetings,
which apparently brought little tam
gible action might lead TO suspicion
that the Lid" had been clamped
down; that the public was being mis-
led and that back of them many Sc
eret orders Were being framed and
issued from the state war and navy
departments. The President agreed
with his advisers and practically de-
cided to hold no more such confer
ences.
Following President Taft's message
to President Madero disclaiming any
purpose at this time TO land troops
in Mexico, further precautionary
measures were taken to safeguard the
lives and property of Americans in
Mexico. so far as that could be done
without actually dispatching a mill
tary force to the country This prob
lem has been greatly complicated by
the act of the Madero government,
possibly without the actual direction
of President Madero, in sending
broadcast through Mexico news that
armed intervention by America was
about to occur, in the hope of Undue
ing malcontends to drop their tempo
rary quarrel with the government and
respond to the patriotic call to repel
foreign invasion.
1t was for this reason that the state de
partment was obliged, late in the day
to cable and telegraph directly to all OF
the American consular offices. who eoulc
be reached, an unequiyocal denial of am
intention on the part of the United State
to send troops into Mexico or of any
change in policy on the part of this, gov
eminent. While President Taft's mes,
sage to President Madero referred to the
reports that orders had been given tC
land forces in Mexico as inaccurate. 4
was noticeable that no pledge was he'll
out as to the future, nor was there any
engagement that the ordinary prepare
tory measures now in progress would b,
discontinued.
In addition to ordering marines t.
Guantanamo word had been passed
quietly to military commanders of the in
terror posts to make ready for eventual
ties 1t was insisted, however, that thi
was only one of the most ordinary an
proper measures of precaution. takei
upon the merest hint of trouble and ofte
without probability of such. The fact is
as frankly stated by cabinet officer, to-
day, that it is extremely desirable to pre-
vent the spread of the idea in Mexico that
the administration is contemplating the
dispatch of an army of invasion to tina
country. Should such gain currency al.
find credence it would have the effect t.
precipitate the very trouble which it is
desired to avoid and to endanger every
American life in Mexico.
Hence, though determined to refrai
from intervention except as the very las
resort, the administration itself is in {
position where the smallest and mos
routine measures for the preparation TO
its military and naval force for that las
contingency must necessarily be CLOTHED
with official secrecy even after news re
ports from various points throughout tn
country where soldiers and marines are
quartered clearly indicate that they ar
being prepared for service.