The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-04-28
CONGRESS BACKS
Up ARMED ACTION
Justifies President In Use OF
Army and Navy.
JOINT RESOLUTION ADOPTED
Leng and Lively Debate In Senate
Mr.. Wilson's Message, RecItlna
Affronts TO United States by
the Huertlstas.


Washington, April 23.-In view Of
the facts presented by the president
nvered to congress in joint session on
the goth day Of April, 1914, in regard
TO certain affronts and indignities CON-
mitted against the United States In
Mexico, be II
Resolved, That the president Is
justified In the employment of the
armed forces of the United States to
enforce his demands for unequivocal
amends for the affronts and indignities
committed against the United States !;
be 1t further
Resolved, That the United States
disclaims any hostility to the Mexican
people or any purpose TO make war
upon them"
BY adopting the above resolution
Wednesday the congress of the United
States upheld the course Of President
Wilson in the Mexican ambroglio, and
gave him free rein TO proceed as he
deems best In the house the resolu-
ton was adopted speedily, after brief
debate, by vote Of 337 to 81. But
there was much longer debate in the
senate, and the presidents policy was
severely criticized by a number Of
eenators, most of whom objected to
proceeding against Huerta as an In
dividual, and supported substitute
resolution offered by Senator Lodge,
In which the entire Mexican situation
was cited as cause for action by the
United States. The resolution given
above was adopted, 72 to 13.
Presidents Message to Congress.
President Wilson personally pre-
scented his appeal to congress for justi-
fication at joint session on Monday.
The text of his message follows:
Gentlemen Of the Congress: 1t is
my duty to call your attention to a
situation which has arisen In our deal
ings With Gen Victoriano Huerta
at Mexico City, which calls for action,
and to ask your advice and co-opera-
ton IN acting upon it. On the 9Th
of April, a paymaster Of the United
States steamship Dolphin landed at
the Iturbide bridge landing at Tam
pioo with. a whaleboat and boats
crew TO take off certain supplies
needed by this ship, and while e2-
gagged In loading the boat was arrested
by an officer and squad Of men Of the
army of General Huerta. Neither the
paymaster nor anyone Of the boats
crew was armed. Two of the men
were in the boat when the arrest took
place and were obliged to leave 1t
and submit to be taken into custody,
notwithstanding the fact that the boat
carried both at her bow, and at her
stern, the Gag of the United States.
Men Are Later Released.
1.-THE officer who made the arrest
was proceeding up one of the streets
of the town with his prisoners wheQ
met by an officer of higher authority.
who ordered him to return to the
landing and await orders; and within
an hour and a hail from the time Of
the arrest orders we're received from
the commander of the Huertista forces
at Tampico for the release Of the pay
master and his men, The release was
followed by apologies from the com
mander and later by an expression OF
regreat by General Huerta himself.
General Huerta urged that martial
law obtained at the time at Tampico;
that orders had been issued that no
one should be allowed to land at the
Iturbide bridge and that our sailors
had no right to land there.
Our naval commander at that port
had not been notified Of any such pro-
hibition; and even II they had been
the only justifable course open to the
local authorities would have been to
request the paymaster and his crew to
withdraw and to lodge a protest with
the commanding officer of the feet
Demands Salute of U. S. Flag.
Admiral Mayo regarded the arrest
as SO serious an affront that he was
not satisfied with the apologies Of
fered, but demanded that the flag OF
the United States be saluted with spe-
cial ceremony by the military COM
mander of the port.
THE incident cannot be regarded as
q trivial one, especially as two msn of
the men arrested were taken from the
boat itself-that is to say, from the
territory of the United States; but had
It stood by itself it might have been
attributed to the ignorance or AFRO
gance Of a single officer.
Unfortunately, 1t was not an $50
lated case. A series of incidents have
recently occurred which cannot but
create the impression that the repre-
sentatives of General Huerta were
willing to go out Of their way TO show
disregard for the dignity and rights
Of this government and felt perfectly
safe In doing what they pleased,
making free to show In many ways
their irritation and contempt
u. S. Orderly Was Arrested.
"a few days after the incident at
Tampico an orderly from the United
States ship Minnesota was arrested
at Vera Cruz while ashore in uniform
to obtain the ships mail, and was for
a time thrown into jail.
An official dispatch from this gov
eminent to its embassy at Mexico