Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-27
Fight Being Made by U. S.
Against Gen. Huerta Is
Gradually Broadening.
BRiTAIN'S LATEST ACTION
REGARDED AS IMPORTANT
Giving Up Efforts to Obtain Oil Con-
cessions in Colombia Significant.
Rebels Report Victories.

That the fight being made by the
| United States against Gen. Huerta and
| and what he stands for in Mexico Is
| gradually broadening SO as to include all
Of Central America. along the lines OF
general policies enunciated by President
Wilson in his Mobile speech. and other
announcements since he took office. IL
becoming apparent today to men in close
touch with the situation.
| The announcement in London yesterday
| by Lord Cowdray. called by some Latin
| Ams. leans the Tammany Of Central
America" that the efforts Of his company
lombia have been abandoned ts believed
| to have an important bearing on this sit
| uation. These concessions, 1t Is said,
| would have been opposed to President
Wilson's policy regarding Central Amer
| lea
The Mexican situation, it is declared
although very important. Is only one fac
tor in the bigger question of policy OF
which the Panama canal Is the center.
It is believed that from the American
viewpoint it is absolutely essential that
the countries near the Canal Zone be
free from European influence and from
other factors which so often have led to
violent disturbances.
The day Of big concessions in Central
America is past, 1t is said by men IN
close touch with the situation, and the
countries located there will be free to
work out their own problems along
modern and progressive lines Then
competition will be restored, 1t is said.
and the business affairs of these coun-
tries will run more safely than they
have in the past.
Effect of Lodges Resolution.
The Lodge resolution is said to estab-
lish In way the interest of the United
States in these questions. This resolu-
ton is as follows:
That when any harbor or other place
in the American continent Is so situated
that the occupation thereof for naval or
military purposes might threaten The
communications or the safety OF the
United States, the government OF the
United States could not see without grave
concern the possession of such harbor or
other place by any corporation or as
ISOLATION which has such a relation to
another government, not American, as
to give that government practical power
of control for national purposes.
This resolution, with President Wilson'S
anti-concession and ant-violence pro-
nouncements about Latin America, are be-
doctrines of the United States That
foreign governments, principally Great
Britain. do not like this attitude is said
to be self-evident.
Inc OIL concessions nave ny COiHILoh
consent come to be looked upon as most
important of all, 1T is said. Because
Of the probability that oil will be the
fuel of the battleships of the future
the oil fields of the world are said TO
be engaging the attention or the great
nations as never before.
The chief developments of the day
In the Mexican situation proper had to
do with the oil situation near Tuxpam
and Tampico. and the end of the fight
ing near Juarez between federals and
rebels
Critical at Tampico.
While Rear Admiral Fletcher has OBJ
tanned formal pledges from the constitu-
tionalist Gen. Aguilar that there shall be
no interference with foreign property in
the oil fields about Tuxpam, there Is
more concern as to whether that Is broad
enough to cover the rather critical situa-
ton at Tampico.
The battleships Nebraska and Micht-
gan and the gunboat Wheeling already
are at TampicO, and their commanders
have been instructed to look after not
only American but British and other
foreign interests in that vicinity.
1t is thought at the Navy Department
that there Is little danger Of any action
by the constitutionalists in the neigh
borhood of Tampico that would actual
ly threaten the destruction OF the great
oil tanks at that port. Though no spe-
cific instructions have been given to
the American naval commanders. they
are expected to act on their own dis
erection in protecting the properties.
The real danger, II any existed, would
lie in interference with the pipe lines
running as far as twenty-five miles to the
interior from Tampico. Naval officers es-
timated that 1t would require small
army to protect the wells and the pipe
lines from interference. The lifting OF
one cap from one of the great gushers
and the ignition Of the rushing streams
Of oil might carry widespread disaster
down to the coast.
Would Respect Foreign Rights.
Rear Admiral Fletcher is expected first
to undertake to get into communication
with the insurgent leaders near Tampico
and induce them to respect the pledges
given by Gen. Aguilar to observe the
rights Of foreign property.
Later today the Navy Department re-
ceived delayed dispatches reporting
Rear Admiral Fletcher's arrival at
Tampico. and also the arrival OF the
British cruiser Suffolk, with Rear Ad-
miral Craddock aboard. Nothing new
was reported in the situation.
Regarding reports from Ell PasO that
Gen. Villa, the victorious cOnstitutionalist
general, Is disposed to look upon himself
as the new rebel leader, the following
telegram from Gen. Carranza was given