Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-04-15
Huerta May Prefer OF Lose
Power to Forces of United
States.
USURPER MAY COURT
DISASTER TO RULE
Salute Will Be Fired Eitrer
Voluntarily or Under
Compulsion.

Washington, April 15.-"The next
move is Huerta So said administration
officials, asked today for develop.
ments in the Mexican situation.
"And nobody but himself can tell
what he will do,' it was added. "In.
deed, it is likely enough that he has not
made up his mind. "
Should he order the Tampico feder.
ais to salute the American flag in
token of their regret for last week g
arrest of Assistant Paymaster C. S.
Copp and a party of bluejackets from
the United States gunboat Dolphin,
who had gone ashore to buy gasoline,
1t will be up to President Wilson to de.
eide quickly what to do with the
fleet. 1t was thought he might order
1T to Guantanimo.
Otflcialdom-here was strongly of the
opinion, however, that Huerta would
not yield. He probably would rather be
driven from the Mexican presidency bv
the United States, it was said, than by
the rebels, for in the former case he
would still take a place in Mexican
history, while in the latter he would be
discredited forever.
President Summons Lawmakers
The president summoned the members
of the senate and house foreign com.
mittees to the White House today and
was said to have furnished them with
full particulars concerning the orders
to the Atlantic fleet, and the reasons
for them.
We are in possession Of all the
facts which led to this naval demon
stration,' said Chairman Shiveley, of
the senate foreign relations committee,
when he left the conference. "We are
satisfied that the president took the
only action possible.
Nothing has developed over night.
and ther is no real alarm felt. No at
tempts have been made on the lives of
Americans.
"The president simply will insist on
the salute of the American flag. If it
is not fired Voluntarily, it will be fired
under compulsion.
lone thing is certain-every move
will be made in accordance with an
agreement between the legislative and
executive branches of the government.
Before marines are landed at Tampico,
or elsewhere, congress, will specifically
authOriz it.
1T will be demonstrated to the
world that America can make its de-
mands effective in Mexico"
Army and navy officers believed the
program would include first concen-
tration of warships at Tampico, then
an occupation of Tampico and its des-
lgnation as neutral zone; next a
blockade of both Mexican coasts, and
finally, perhaps, armed intervention.
Hr erta Must Apologize.
President Huerta must not only apOl-
ogize for various past offenses, but he
must promise to be good in future, if
he is not. to experience consequences
which may mean armed intervention in
Mexico.
This, in effect is what President
Wilson told the members of the senate
and house foreign committees today
The president went on to say that
this would be no rosewater demon
stration-that there would be an am
pie apology forthcoming or bloOdshed.
In the senate foreign relations com
mittee this afternoon Senator Lodge
urged that the president be authorized
to use force against Mexico without a
formal declaration of war. He ex-
planned that such a declaration was
practically impossible, because the HUI
erta regime has never been recognized.
The committee, showing strong dis
position to back up the chief executive,
agreed that there would be nodiffi-
Guilty in getting the necessary resolu-
tion through at any time.
SO far as Mexico is concerned, re-
marked Lodge, the arrest of Americans
from vessel flying the American flag
was practically an act of war.