The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-04-15
OUTGROWTH HUERTA'S|
REFUSAL TO SALUTE
Executive Wishes to Have
Congress Prepared to Act
in Any Situation Which
May Require Author,iza-
ton by the Legislative
Branch

Washington, ID. u, Aprl l5.-Whne
the fighting ships of the Atlantic fleet
were turning their prows toward Tam
pico to-day to enforce President Will
sons demand on Huerta for public
salute to the American flag, senators and
representatives were summoned to the
White House to be informed of all the
phases of the situation, that Congress
might be prepared for any further steps.
President Wilson told the congress
men that he stood first for peace, but if
Huerta did not comply, the first step
to enforce the American demands would
be the seizure of Tampico and Vera Cruz,
for which he considers there is ample
precedent. The arrest of an orderly who
went ashore at Vera Cruz for the fleets
mail, the interception of dispatches to
Charge 0'Shaughnessy, censorship over
official dispatches and repeated offenses
against rights and dignity were given
to-day as some of the causes of the de-
spatch of the fleet to Mexico in an Off
cial statement representing the admin
istration views.
Washington, d. c., April l5.--While
the Atlantic sleet with its formidabl
force of marines and blueiackets was
headed for Tampico to-day to compel
salute to the American flag by the
Huerta government, President Wilson
took into conference on the situation
the Republican and Democratic ranking
members of the two congressional com
mittees in charge of the nations foreign
affairs.
President Wilson sent for Senators
Shively and Lodge and Representatives
Flood and Cooper, and revealed to them
the Incidents following the arrest of a
detachment of American bluejackets at
Tampico, the subsequent demand of Rear
Admiral Mayo for an apology in the
form of salute to the colors and the
refusal of Huerta to comply, as set forth
in the notes from Charge O'Shaughnessy.
The president expected his callers to
communicate to the House and the SEN
ate what he told them, so as to pave
the way for any step that might require
the authorization of Congress. President
Wilson ordered the fleet to proceed to
Mexican waters yesterday.
Lind's Report Preceded Order.
The decision to send the fleet was
reached after the president and Secre-
tary Bryan had conferred for an hour
with John Lind, personal representative
of the president in Mexico, and after a
two-hour cabinet meeting, during which
dispatches from Charge 0'Shaughnessy
revealed that the Huerta government |
disputed the right of American blue |
jackets to be ashore at Tampico, and |
contended that its recent public state
ment of apology was ample.
Immediately after the cabinet meeting |
adjourned, Secretary Daniels issued his |
order to the Atlantic fleet and wireless |
messages flashed up and down the Allan
tic coast to put the fleet under steam for |
Jampico. 1t viii be the largest fighting |
force the American government has as
sembled for possible action since the |
Spanish American war. Eleven great |
battleships with auxiliaries, carrying in |
all about $4,000 men, will comprise the |
force off Tampico.
Everywhere, at the White House, the
state department and the navy depart
ment, the hope was expressed that the |
despatch of the fleet would not lead to
serious consequences, and there was a
confident prediction among administra-
tion officials that General Huerta would
see the wisdom of satisfying the Amer
lean demand and close the incident Of
fcials were careful to point out that
negotiations with the Huerta govern
ment had not ended, and that the way
was still open to General Huerta to
make amends.
In the meantime, the navy department
sent complete instructions to Rear Ad-
miral Badger, commander-in-chiefo of the
Atlantic fleet. on board the battleship
Arkansas at Hampton Roads.
"The gunboat Tacoma, now at Boston,
Mass, has been ordered Also to Tampieo
by way of Newport, r. l., and will start
to-day or tomorrow.
"The gunboat Nashville, now at Monte
Cristi San Domingo, has been ordered
to Guantanamo to coal and thence TO
Tampico.
'sThe Rhode Island Nebraska Virginia /,