Evening journal., 1913-08-19

The report that Huerta had severed
diplomatic relations apparently au-
thentic since the statement was attri-
buted to the Minister of the Interior
Senior Urruta created perturbation in
official Washington. No official word
was received to confirm press des-
patches. 1t was not until the American
embassy at Mexico City had been com
municated with and had forwarded the
denial that officials here relaxed their
teslsion
They had feared sinister motive be-
hind these apparently semi-ofiicial and
broadcast reports last night.
Cabinet Gets Information.
The dispatches from O'Shaughnessy
and Lind were laid before the cabinet
today by the President The formation
Of new Mexican policy to replace the
administration mediation plan was the
paramount and the most difficult ques-
tion before the President and his adj
visors today.
The administration was at loss 20
understand the animus behind the press
dispatches sent from Mexico City last
night.
In his message to the President which
was received early this morning.
D'shaughnessy reported that the
"alarmistn reports had been cabled back
70 him at 10 o'clock last night He said
that Immediately he called upon Mexi-
can Minister of Foreign Affairs Gamboa,
who in turn at once visited President
Huerta.
That the report was without founda-
tion and fact was the official denial
given by Huerta to Gamboba and trans
mitted to OShaughnessy. OShaughnes.
sy's message reached here at 4.0j a. m.
1t was Immediately communicated to
Secretary Inlmulty. Because of its re-
assuring tone neither President Wilson
nor Secretary OF State Bryan were
awakened by 1umulty. but both were
given its contents upon arising
Responsibility for "War Scare.o
The Mexican Minister of the Interior
appears to have been responsible for the
dissemination of the war scare. re-
ports, according to private dispatches
from the American officials in Mexico
City. O'Shaughnessy stated that the
minister had been accused In the press
dispatches of being the source of the in
formation. although the report was with
out official confirmation. In his message
today O'Shaughnessy did not comment
on this feature Of the serious crisis the
report might have provoked.
The administration was frankly be-
wldered in tracing the cause for the
spreading of the report, with the Off
cial denial by President Huerta fol-
lowing it so closely.
After confirming the official state
ment from the White House denying
that any ultimatum had been receiv-
ed from Mexico or that O'Shaugh-
messy had been given his passports,
Secretary Bryan refused today either
to affirm or deny that this govern
ment had received a formal reply
from the Mexican government re-
garding its mediation proposal. He
denied that he had stated last night
that the mediation suggestion had
been rejected. He refused 10 say
when he thought these proposals
would be made public
That Lind and Huerta would con-
tinue their personal conferences to-
day was believed by the administra-
ton. Unofficial reports were receiv-
ed stating that the conference was
resumed this morning. At two O'Clock
this morning a cablegram was re-
ceived from Lind stating that he and
Huerta had held lengthy confer
ence last night at the suggestion of
Huerta. Lind reported that he had
been most cordially received by the
Mexican president, belying the re-
port of an open rupture between the
Two nations
President Still Hopeful.
Close friends of the President hur-
ried to the White House today to
learn the authenticity of the alarm
Continued on Second Page.