The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-04-30
HUERTA SUPPOSED
WILSON BL-UFFlNG

Vera Cruz, April 29.-Here is Nelson
O'Shaughnessy's. own story of how he
argued the Tampico incident with Cen
Huerta.
1T became apparent early in the de-
velopnlents arising from the Tampico
flag incident that the situation was
fraught with oninous possibilities, al
though it was my opinion almost to the
last minute that Huerta would recede
from a position that made it impossible
Tor Washington to adjust matters as
Huerta wanted them adjusted.
You must understand that, had
Huerta waived his insistence upon a
return salute to the Mexican flag by
the United S~tates-Which act would
nave implied a recognition by III gov
e~rnment-the Tampico incident would
have been unquestionably closed.
The situation was rapidly getting
growing less able to resist successfully
the rebels to say nothing of making
Roadway against them when 1 received
the first information Of the arrest Of
the DOphin'S sailors n of Admiral
Mayo's Reconsideration, by the way,
came to me first through the Mexican
foreign office-it was too late to do
ANYTHING.
THAT wa Friday. April 10, and ac-
cording TO the time limit fixed by Adj
miral Mayo, satisfaction had to be
given by 6 o'clock hat night.
Huerta Was Asleep.
Everyone who has had experience in
dealing with Mexican officials knows
how difficult it is to stir them to quick
action under the most favorable con-
ditions.
After several hours search ] finally
caught up with Huerta at his house,
where he was taking a Siesta. Not even
my strongest representations of the
extremity n urgency of the case
could induce his aids to arouse him, SO
| was forced to go away and return
again in an hour.
when I finally did see Hureta, we
discussed the Tampico incident most
amicably. His expressions indicated a
considerable displeasure that the ar
rest of h Dolphins' people should
have been permitted.
He gave me the impression that he
was much incensed at the stupidity of
the officer who was responsible for it
and who had added to Huerta's
troubles by his laundering step.
1T IS interesting to note that, in spite
Of his frequent public explosions
against II policy toward him and his
outward attitude or defiance and lndtf-
ference to anything we might do, HUI
crta was always very careful to allow
nothing to be done that would bring
about an open break between Wash
ington and his government.
Thouqkt 1t Bluff.
"Huerta sent for me and we talked
for a long time. l went away with a
distinct impression that he had
reCeded from his position regarding
recognition and hat he would come to
a satisfactory understanding with my
government. and / So communicated to
Washington.
Later | ascertained thai / had ap-
parently misunderstood what Huerta
said This threw negotiations
back to the original status; so we got
nowhere.
Il firmly believe that Huerta was
skeptical hat Washington would not
press matters to the point of armed
occupation of either Tampico or Vera
Cruz I hin he had probably the
mental reservation that, if things grew
too cloudy, he would draw back at the
last moment.
"Palpably, he had not the slightest
appreciation of the considerations
which nae prevented Washington from
taking decisive steps in Mexico be-
fore this point had been reached"