West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-11-26
EvAcuArE VERA CRUZ
Blue Jackets and Marines VIII Haul
Down Stars and Stripes warships
on East and West Coast win Remain
for Indefinite Period.

Washington. Nov. 22. - Brigadier
General Funston's infantry and ma
rines. numbering above 5000 mer to-
morrow will haul down the stsrs and
stripes which have been fiyinE over
Vera Cruz since last April and evacu-
ate the port. in accordance with in
structions from Washington.
The five battleships at Vera Cruz
and Tampico, and the string OF yes
sells on the west coast will remain in
definitely. No orders have been is
sued by Secretary Daniels to the fleet
They will continue to afford by their
presence protection to Americans.
and be in readiness to meet emergen-
cies
IL was just seven months ago that
the blue jackets and marines. under
Rear Admiral Fletcher, seized Vera
cruz by orders OF the Washington
government as an act OF reprisal I'm
retaliation for affronts to the Ameri-
can Nag at Tampico. where n boat
load OF American bluejackets were ar
rested. General Huerta, who control.
led the forces at Tampico had refused
10 comply with the demands of Adj
miral Mayo for a salute of twenty-one
guns.
Advices from Mexico today were as
confusing as they have been for sew
erai days. but the determination of the
united States government Is to with
draw the small army which replaced
the naval forces at Vera Cruz and
thereby remove from Mexican terri
tory a possible cause OF international
iriction' as we'll as potential factor
mat might become a domestic issue
as between the factions I'm Mexico.
president Wilson is hopeful that the
evacuation of Vera Cruz will be an
enduring demonstration to Central
and South American countries OF the
policy of the United States enunciated
III mis- Mobile speech a year ago to
seek no territorial aggrandizement
south of the Rio Grande
In withdrawing from Mexican soil
the United States government has taxi
en- pains that no faction shall be re-
cognized. All elements united i'm re-
questing the American forces to eva
cuate, pledging the guarantees reuuir-
eu by the Washington government.
General Funston has no specific or
ders to give the possession of Vera
cruz to General Aguilar or any other
chlef. He has no instructions what
soeVer from the State Department. he
ing given blanket authority by the war
department simply to pack his nos
sessions and withdraw his men. bring
ing away any Mexicans who feared TO
remain, as well as the customs money
collected during the American occu-
patton and the copies of the port and
municipal records.
The $1,000,000 or more in customs
duties will be held until a govern
ment is formally recognized by the
United States.
administration officials do not re-
gard the tangled state of affairs in the
southern republic as altogether hope
less They are inclined to view the
evacuation of Mexico City by the Car
rama forces in the face of the Villa
advance as an evidence of the desire
or the Carranza faction to avoid fur
Their bloodshed. Up to midnight last
night, according to dispatches receiv-
ed today from the Brazilian minister.
both Generals Lucio Blanco and Obre-
gon were in the capital and had prom
ised to leave an adequate force to pre-
serve order.