Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1914-04-16
MUST SALUTE THE
STARS AND STRIPES

PRES. INFORMS HUERTA MUST
(SALUTE FLAG OR WILL SEIZE
TAMPICO AND VERA CRUZ
Washington, April 15.-President
Huerta will salute the American flag
or the Atlantic fleet will seize Vera
Cruz and Tampico. What happens af-
terward depends on Huerta. That is
= President Wilson's determination.
y Leaders of congress, both democratic
and republicans, are backing up the
president, and declared they are in
accord with Wilson on each step he
takes, and that there are ample pre-
cedents for action.
Washington, April 15.-The follow
ing official statement was issued as
representing the views of President
Wilson and administration:
"In discussion with official circles in
Washington of the present Mexican
situation, the following points have
been very much dwelt upon. 1t has
been pointed out that, in considering
the present somewhat delicate situa-
tion in Mexico, that the unpleasant
incident at Tampico must not be
thought of alone. For some time past
the defacto government Of Mexico has
seemed to think a mere apology suffi-
cient when the rights Of American
citizens, or the dignity of the govern
ment of the United States, were in
volved, and apparently has made no
attempt at either reparation or the
effective correction of the serious
derelictions of its civil and military
officers.
Immediately after the incidents at
Tampico, an orderly from one of the
ships of the United States in the har-
Dor Vera Cruz, who had been ashore
to the postoffice for the ships mails,
and who was in uniform and who had
!, the official mail bag on his back, was
arrested and put in Jail by the local
authorities. He was subsequently re-
leased and a nominal punishment in
f1icted upon the officer who arrested
him, but it was significant that an or
derly from the fleet of the United
States was picked out from many per-
sons constantly going ashore on var
ious errands, from the various ships
in the harbor, representing several
nations.
"The most serious of all, the official
in charge Of the telegraph Office at
Mexico City presumed to withhold an
official dispatch of the government of
the United States to its embassy at
Mexico City until it should have been
sent to the censor, and his permission
received to deliver it, and gave this
despatch into the hands of the charg-
ed affairs of the United States, only
upon his personal demand.
"Not alone on his personal demand,
but on his emphatic demand, he hav-
ing in the meantime learned through
other channels that dispatch had
been sent him which had not been re-
ceived.
ut cannot but strike anyone who
has watched the course of events in
Mexico as significant that untoward
incidents, such as these, have not oc-
Cured IN any case where representa-
tives in other governments were con-
cerned, but only in dealings with rep
resentatives Of the United States, and
that there has been no occasion for
other governments to call attention to
such matters or to ask for apologies.
These repeated offenses against the
rights and dignity Of the United Stat
es, offenses not duplicated with regard
to representatives of other govern
ments, have necessarily made the i'm
preston that the government of the
United States was singled out for
manifestations of i'll will and con-
tempt"
The statement concludes by saying
that the state department is confident
Mexico will see the seriousness of the
cumulative effect of these incidents
and will also see the necessity and
propriety of repudiating them in a
satisfactory manner
Hope Huerts Will Yield
In his conferences with leaders Of
, both houses of congress, the president
I impressed upon the senators and rep
resentatives that while he sincerely
hoped no occasion would arrive for
the use Of force, but the contingency
might follow as result of the Amer
ican demand for a salute at Tampico,
he wished the members of congress to
be prepared.
\ All men who saw the president said
no steps would be taken of serious
nature, such as the landing of ma
rines or the shelling of the town,
without authorization of congress.
"Marines have been landed before"
said Chairman Flood, "without au-
thorization, and towns have been
shelled, but inasmuch as congress is
in session it would be more regular
to get authorization from congress-"