Mexico Missouri message., 1914-12-31


to deal fatal blow at German commerce.
safeguard that OF Belgium, France and its
own and render the enemy's feet inopera-
tive by holding II I'm the Baltic. A week
later, the port authorities OF New York
were notified that the Atlantic lines were
unobstructed, and n few days afterward
the Pacific lines were pronounced open
and safe" Sixty British war vessels
guarded the exit of the Kiel Canal and
prevented the thirty German battleships
anchored there from coming out. Within
few days, more than thirty of the great
German ocean liners were informed In
neutral waters and a number of German
merchant ships were captured or de-
stroyed.
BY the middle of November more than
four hundred war vessels and merchant
men on all sides had been captured or in
termed in neutral ports. The Emden in
the Pacific and the Karlsruhe I'm the
South Atlantic two German raiders,
preyed successfully upon allied and neu-
trail commerce until the former was put
out OF action. During the past three
months the Germans have destroyed a
number of British cruisers by means Of
| torpedoes. In an action off the coast of
| Chile, a squadron of five German war
| ships sank the Monmouth and Good Hope
/ with all on board. on October gal
/ though It was not known to the public
/ IOT IL fortnight uIterWdTu-tne bfltlSii
| super-dreadnaught Audacious was sunk
by a mine off the coast OF Ireland. Short
| ly afterward. the British admiralty de-
clared the North sea closed military
area.
On December s the German cruisers
| Scharnhorst, Gneisau. leipzig and Nuern-
berg. under Admiral Won Spec. were sunk
by British squadron under Vice-Admiral
Sir Frederick Sturdee, off the Falkland
Q igla ha prtffGnr Dresden pc
capped badly damaged. December 16 a
German fleet bombarded the English coast
! towns OF Hartiepool. Whitby and Scar
borough, killing $50 and woundng 800 citl-
zens and causing much property damage
Three British merchant vessels were sunk
by mines laid by the bombarding fleet.
At the close of the year operations II
the west seem practically at n standstill
December II the Germans reported a vic
tory in Poland.
AS "a result of the immediate paralysis
in the financial world due to the suddel
embodiment of the European nations
Americans abroad were subjected Z
great inconvenience and not a little actua
hardship. Much relief was afforded tn
Belgian sufferers and large sums o
money for the purpose were raised al
over the country.
The American Red Cross sent the relic
ship Red Cross to European waters
with a full equipment of physician
nurses and supplies, on September l..
! Chaotic Conditions In Mexico.
Early In the year foreign nations bega
to be critical of the administration
"hands-on' Mexican policy and to insis
! that the job of pacifying Mexico belonge
logically to the United States Victc
riano Huerta had held the provisions
presidency for a year and boasted in hi
, cups that he would hold his office ionge
l than President Wilson would remain
the White House Meanwhile the band
chief Pancho villa was steadily gainin
ground in the north. The fiercest battl
r OF the revolution, which was fought fc
. almost two weeks, ended in victory f.
y the rebel forces.
I There was an appalling loss of life
v this long continued fight, and more tina
a four thousand fugitives crossed the r
: Grande and took refuge in American tie
a rtory. Here they were cared for by Il
= United States authorities,
8 On February President Wilson r
l. voled an order by his predecessor in o
Il fice to put a stop to the shipment of arm
o and ammunition into Mexico by either
l. of the United States. On April H. Pres
o dent Wilson instructed Secretary DAME
to assemble an imposing naval force
lr Tampico, on the Mexican coast. tn
l. was due to the refusal of the Mexict
l. the American flag as an essential featu
n of an apology for an unwarranted ARE
n and Imprisonment of several Americi
D. bluejackets who had landed on Mexic'
te soil &c, obtain a supply of gasoline.
q Although the episode was the result
,r n misunderstanding in which all the pa
l. ties concerned shared about equally.
D. was manifest that Huerta was In no mo-
4 to comply with any request of the Was
n ineton authorities, however politely a
IN even delicately made. He refused to {
x der the salute, and the naval demonstr
Of ton followed.
"a Congress passed a resolution sustain
ct the president in the position which
a had taken. On April 81 Admiral Fletch
TO seized the custom house at Vera Crl
n. The MeXicans resisted the occupation
r. the custom house and the result was
er light in which 16 Americans were Kill
1g and II wounded. General Mas. In co
ly mand OF the garrison, withdrew and i
es the Americans in possession.
q Nelson O'Shaugnessy, the American r.
v. resentative was given his passports a
q requested to leave the country. Br
nd Gen Frederick Funston. commander
ID the American forces at Vera Cruz, v
an ready TO enter on a vigorous campaign.
re Before hostillties were carried furtl
r. the diplomatic representatives at Wa
Nv lngton of Argentina, Brazil and Chile 81
|
lin | a formal tender of their services as me
,c- ators President Wilson accepted the
of fer and both Huerta and Carranza
TX. cepted the proffered mediation.
an The mediatory conference was held
zee Niagara Falls Canada, and opened
EN- May 90 On June II the conference
is agreed upon n plan accepted both
is President Wilson and Huerta. Then
deadlock arose over the choice for PR
OF dent-the American delegates declined
nd accept the name of any nonconstitutior
ice list.
IN Meanwhile, the constitutionalists W
vic making unmistakable advance toward
oil capital Their success was so pronoun
in that II was evident they would soon be
red control OF the government.
OF On July / the conference came to
end without definite result and four d
,ry later Huerta was reelected president
in his partisans. On July Is the dictator
ian signed the presidency and took pass
ere for Europe. leaving the executive autl
ok. ity In the hands OF a prominent citii
en- Francisco Carbajal. :
cen The new president and Carranza CT