Graham guardian., 1914-04-24
APRIL "a. 1914
WILSON'S MESSAGE

duty calls your attention to the
situation which has arisen in oui
dealings with General Victorian,
Huerta ut Mexico City, which call;
for action and to ask your advice
and cooperation in acting on it.
On the 9th of April the paymsste,
of the Dolphin landed at Tamp!cc
with a whaleboat and boats crew
to take ON supplies. and while en-
gagged in landing the boat the crew
was arrested by officers and guards
of the army OF. General Huerta,
None of the boats crew were armed,
Two men were in the boat when
the arrest occurred and were obliged
10 leave 1t and submit to be taken
in custody Notwithstanding the boat
carried both at bow and stern the
flag of the United States. The Of
ficer who made the arrest proceeded
along the street with his prisoners
when he was met by an officer higher
in grade and ordered to return to
the landing place and await orders,
and within half an hour orders were
received from the commander Of
Huerta's forces at Tampico for the
release Of the paymaster and men,
The release was followed by
apologies from the commander and
later by expressions of regret from
Huerta himself. Huerta urged
that martial law obtained at the
time in Tampico and that orders
had been issued that none be allowed
to land on the bridge and our sailors
had no right to land there. Our
naval commanders were not notified
Of such prohibition, and even II it
had been justifable. the only course
open to local authorities would have
been to request the psymaster and
crew to withdraw and lodge com.
plant with the commander Of the
fleet.
Admiral Mayo regarded the ar.
rest rs so serious an affront that
he was not satisfied with simple
apologies, but demanded that the
flag of the United States be saluted
with special ceremony.
The incident cannot be regarded
as trivial. especially as two Of the
men arrested were taken from the
boat itself; that is to say from terri
tory of the United States. But had
that stood by itself. it might have
been attributed to the ignorance or
arrogance of a single officer. Tn.
fortunately, however, 1t is not an
isolsted case. A series of incidents
have recently occurred which cannot
but create the impression that rep
resentatives of Huerta are willing
to go out Of the way to show disre.
gard to the dignity and rights Of
this govermet. and have felt per-
fectly safe in doing what they pleased
by making free show in many ways
their irritation and contempt.
A few days after the incident at
Tampico. an orderly from the United
States steamer Minnesota was ar.
rested at Vera Cruz while ashore In
uniform to obtain the ships mail
and thrown into Jail.
An official dispatch from this gov
ernment to the American embassy
at Mexico City was intercepted and
withheld until 1t was peremptorily
demanded by our charge in person.
So far as ascertained these indigni.
ties heaped upon the United States,
with subsequent apologies and ex-
plantations, did not alter the popular
impression that Ruerta authorities
possibly sought to create the inn
precision that the United States was
singled out for sights and affronts
in retaliation for our refusal to rec
ognize the provisional president Of
Mexico. The manifest danger of
sach q situation was that such Of
fspsea might grow freq bad to,
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