Norwich bulletin., 1914-04-16

Washington. April 15.-Incidents of | the day-the busy activity at the state. i war and navy departments and the i White House-the conferences between | the president and members of con ! gress, showed that while the United l States was hoping the crisis might i be avoided by deferential action on the part of General Huerta, every arm of the government was in active prep aratfon for emergencies. Cabinet of | ncers were uncertain of future engage ments. Secretary Bryan, who is iii and had planned to go to Florida, is staylng here against his physicians orders Everywhere a spirit of serious tension was manifest.
 The army is prepared" said Sec retary Garrison, but has not been ordered to cross the Mexican border or to go to any Mexican port
 incidentally the chartering of the Ward liner EsperanZa at Vera Cruz with orders to proceed to Galveston, where four army transports and thou sands of troops are located is under stood to be only one of the measures or preparation being taken for the ] transportation of troops if necessary. As evtdencing the serious purpose of the Washington government, Repre- sentative Cooper ranking republican. member of the house foregn affairs committee, said after his conference with the president
 The president was very firm in ex- ] pressing his views and seemed con | Vinced that the situation had become ] so aggravated that delay might be- come dangerous. He pointed out that now was the time to let the world ! know that the United States had en- 1 dured the conditions and repeated in suits in Mexico as long as it could ir Justification to itself. The president | explained that the demands on Mex | ico were strictly in accord with pre- l cedents in eases of unlawfulu arrest and that he hoped the customary rep aration would be promptly forthcom- ing as it ought to be-
 l Washington, April 15-With a ma jority of the ships of the American navy under orders today to proceed at ! once to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts i of Mexico, the United States govern ment gave General Huerta final worn i ing that unless a salute was fired to 1 the Stars and Stripes within a req sonabe time to atone flor repeated of l lenses against the rights and dignity of the United States serious eventu- alitfes would result.
 It was learned tonight that General Huerta, when apprised by Charge O'Shaughnessy of the proposed dem | onstration of the Atlantic fleet argued thaat the episode growing out of the | arrest of the American bluejackets at ! Tampico was Q fit subject for arbitra- | ton at The Hague and that he would appoint a commission to investigate the incident President Wilson, in ! an emphatic reply through Charge OShaughnessy is understood to have ! told Huerta that the time for delay and evasion had passed and that the American government would tempor- ize no longer Administration officials hold that insults to the flag and ques- | lions of national honor are not sub ! jeets for arbitration.
 All information, official and other wise. that reached Washington from Mexico City tended to show that Gen eral Huerta was unconVinced that the United States was in earnest and thought the Washington government was bluffing.
 Anti American Demonstration Re-
 ported.
 Some anti-American demonstrations at Vera Cruz and other points were reported. Developments of the day here showed clearly that Q determined and foreeful policy had been adopted by the president which would be backed up by congress and enforced if necessary, by the army and navy
 While expressing earnest hope for peace. the president uneauivocally told members of the senate and house committees on foreign affairs that the offenses of the de faete government at Mexico City to the dignity of the United States could ne longer be tOl- efated and that unless Huerta com
 piled with the American demands, the
 seizure of the customs houses al Tampiee and Vera Cruz and even the
 declaration of a pacific blockade shutting off commercial intercourse with the United States would be fully
 justified by Preeedents in information al law.
 It was established that no aggres-
 sive act. such as the landing of ma ! rineS or the Shelling of any town or
 the seizure of any ports, would be un-
 dertal1en without authorization from ! congress after President Wilson had
 personally delivered message on the
 subject. The virtually unanimous ap- proual which republicans and demo- crats alike gave the administrations
 initial steps made it apparent how
 ever, that should Rear Admiral Bad
 ger find it necessary to act vigorously in an emergency. congress would back
 up the American navy without hesi- tation.
 After orders had been issued to-
 day for a naval demonstration on the Pacific coast of Mexico, as well as or : the Atlantic. General Huerta was ad-
 vised that the most powerful fighting force the American government has
 ever assembled on sea, carrying thousands of marines and blujackets
 is headed for the seaport towns of the
 southern republic, ready to enforce tC
 the extreme the Amrican policy.
 Upon General Huerta depends the T next developments; he has almost . week in which to decide the question for the warships will not reach AIed- can waters for several days.
 . Foreign Governments Notified.
 In the meantime all foreign govern
 ments have been notified by the
 United States of its attitude teward [ the Tan1pieo incident. and of the dis paich of the fleets to Mexican wa l ters. This notification is in lin ewitf the previously announced policy oi keeping foreign nations advised of al l steps taken by the American govern ment in the Mexican situation. The position of the administration as it was explained to members ol the senate and house committees or