The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-05-12

REBEL ARMY ADVANCES WITHIN
800 MILES OF HUERTA
STRONGHOLD.
FUNSTON RECEIVES ORDERS
United States Army Chief at Vera
Cruz Authorized to Extend
Lines As Required for De-
fensiVe Purposes.

Washington, d. c., May 7.-While
the Mexican situation remains out
wardly calm pending the formal open
ing OF the conference of South Amer
lean mediators at Niagara Falls on
May IL, there continues an active un-
dercurrent Of discussion and prepare
ton for the peace plans and at the
same time definite reports have reach
ed the constitutiona1ist headquarters
here OF sweeping victories of their
forces near San Luis Potosi and other
points far south Of Saltillo, where it
was thought their next big battle
would occur.
Rebel Army Victorious.
The news of constituencies sue
cesses reached here in dispatches
from Gen. Carranza to Raphael Zubar-
an, minister of the interior in the con-
stitutionalist cabinet, who has a d.
rect wire set up to the headquarters
of Gen. Carranza in Chihuahua. Gen
Carranza's messages showed that
three converging campaigns were in
active operation, each within 300
miles of Mexico City. Gen. Obregon,
with $4,000 men, operating from the
Pacific coast side had captured all the
intervening territory, was besieging
Mazatian and was threatening Next
co City from the west
Another division, Gen. Carranza re-
ports, had fought battle at Pensacos,
near San Luis Potosi, which is 800
miles north of Mexico City This is
the southernmost point which the con-
stitutionalists have reached in cen
trail Mexico and with the army now
attacking Tampico they declare that
the general advance on the Mexican
capital is to be made within a few
weeks from three sides.
Huerta Foes Near Capital.
The significance of these constitu-
tionalists' successes lay in the fact
that San Luis Potosi is far south of
Saltillo and only 300 miles from Tam
pico on the west and Mexico City on
the south. Gen. Carranza's report of
the desperate condition of the feder-
ais at Mazatlan was coincident with
reports from Rear Admiral Howard,
who stated that a LAND and sea en-
gagement was carried on there
throughout Tuesday. the constitution
alists firing rifles and field guns from
Piedra island, while the federal gun
boat Morelos was supported by the
federal shore batteries.
Funston Gets Orders.
Aside from the notable constitution
alist successes the chief military de-
velopment on Wednesday was the au-
thorization to Gen. Funston to extend
his lines at Vera Cruz as might be re-
CURED for defensive purposes with
out, however, undertaking any ag-
gressive operations. No further rein
forcements have been ordered to Vera
Cruz nor has there been any sign of
Gen. Wood moving to the front to as
sumo command
Congress Backs Wilson.
Congress again came into the Mexi-
can situation on Tuesday when caus-
the resolution of Mr.. Lippitt of Rhode
Island asking President Wilson for in
formation as to his reported support
of Bancho Villa for next ruler of Mex
ico The resolution was finally tabled
by viva voce vote but not until Sena-
tor Lippitt had discussed reports of
the administration support of the
''villainous Villa" the landing at Vera
Cruz and other incidents.
Villa Refuses to Fight u. S.
Torreon, Mexico, May 6.-The an
swer of Gen. Francisco Villa to re-
quest from Gen. Mass, in command of
the Saltillo federal garrison, that
Villa join the federals in avenging the
American occupation of Vera Cruz was
delivered to the federal messengers
on Tuesday Villa refused to ally him.
self or his men with the federals and
declared that the Huertistas had pro-
vokeo foreign Intervention for their
own ends.
Gen. Mass letter to Villa announced
that in addition to occupying Vera
Cruz the port of Salina Cruz had been
seized by she United States forces
April %.
In his reply Villa said:
you desire to provoke a foreign
war to save yourself from the disaster
coming from the civil conflict. You
have sought to make this union be-
tween yourselves and the constitu-
tioralists who are under arms, with
out rejecting that you are about to
WANTS OINEY AS MEDIATOR.