The Detroit times., 1914-05-09
w JOHN .EDWIN NEVIN.

stan Correspondent United fFyss : Z
WASHINGTON May 9--Depart
menral' Preparations Tor war continued
TO overshadow everything else in the
Mexican situation here today. Trans
ports were being chartered and high
officials of the war department remain
ed at their desks completing plans for
army movements
Troops were held in readiness and
orders in blank, needing only the I'LL
ing in or the destination, command
and time, reposed on the desk of the
chief of STAFF ready to be presented
TO Secretary Garrison for his sigma
ture
But in the face OF these significant
facts the public attitude or the admin
istration remained unchanged. The
president and Secretary Bryan insist
ed there had been no change in the
situation. They further insisted that
preparations were going steadily for
ward for the sessions OF the mediators
in Canada, 10 days from now. SO far
as the spokesman OF the administers
ton are concerned, mediation aud the
prospective triumph OF the constitu-
tionalists in northern Mexico continue
the best possibilities for ultimate set
Element of the entire trouble. The
army is getting ready. The navy is
ready. But these moves all are pre-
cautionary so far as the administers
ton is concerned. and are declared in
no way hostile acts.
While the tension in army and navy
circles is great, 1t is chiefly because
the officials there refuse TO view the
Kaleidoscope changes in Mexican at
fairs with the calm equanimity that
has marked the executive and state
departments. Their reports agree
that Tampico is a danger zone; that
Funston may be attacked at any mo-
ment by an Overwhelming force, and
that Zapata, the bandit is preparing
to attack the city OF Mexico.
The president believes that in part
some OF these reports are true But
he is convinced the constituencies
are about TO solve the TampiCo prob.
lem He refuses to accept the alarm
list reports from Vera Cruz because he
does not think the federal forces
there, even now that they greatly out
number the Americans, will risk an at
tack.
The president has granted permits
sion TO the army to prepare for emer-
gencies. AS result, Secretary Gar.
rison has chartered five additional
transports and was arranging TO OBJ
tain as many more They are to be
held in reserve, some at Galveston,
-others at central points along the At
antic coast where they can be util-
tied TO carry the remainder OF the
q
artillery men who are to be organ
lied as infantry If an army division
is eventually massed at Vera Cruz.
II was stated at the navy depart.
ment today that there is no present
intention OF Selling Puerto Mexico
where the German liner KronprinZes-
sin Cecilie yesterday landed a cargo
OF munitions consigned to Huerta.
That this port could have been seized
in time TO prevent these munitions
being landed is certain. The state
department has known for week
that the Ceciile was headed that
way But ii was also realized that,
while the Selling OF Vera Cruz could
be construed as an act OF reprisal for
the Tampico incident, the seizure OF
a second port TO get the customs
house would be in effect an act OF
war.
There is another cargo en- route TO
the same place on the German steam
or Bavaria. IL is not due for two
weeks and by that time il will have
become apparent whether diplomacy
is to succeed in the Mexican situation
or whether war must come.
The president was today still con
sidering the envoy 10 be named to
represent the United States before
the mediatoTs. II was believed that
Justice Joseph X. Lamar. OF the SUI
preme court. and Mayor Newton ID.
Baker. OF Cleveland. had been asked
whether they could accept the posi-
ton tf IL is finally decided 10 name
third representative, former So
licitor-General Frederick w Lehman,
OF ST Louis, may be named.
No reply has been received by the
mediators 10 Secretary Bryans state.
ment. transmitted to Huerta. that the
United states has undertaken no ag
gressive operations since the prin-
ciple OF mediation was accepted. The
mediators themselves accepted the
explanation In good faith, conceding
that Funstons action In increasing
the guard at the Vera Cruz water
works and in building entertainments
was taken purely as a precautionary
measure
The mediators have privately