The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-20
Mexican Situation Is Presented
by President Wilson
In an Address Delivered at q
Joint Session.
Reviews THE ThmPIC0 AFFAIR
Recites Other Instances Of Ap-
parently Studied Insolence.
United States Has Been Singled
Out From Other Nations.
i LESSON IS IMPERATIVE
To Prevent Other More Serious
and IntOlerable Acts.
Asks for Approval of Use of
Armed Force.
Recites Other Instances of Ap-
parently Studied Ins0lence.
United States Has Been Singled
Ont From Other Nations.
4 LESSON IS IMPERATIVE
To Prevent Other More Serious
and IntOlerable Acts.
Asks for Approval of Use OF
Armed Force.

Washington, April 20.-President Will
son today answered Huerta's defiance
by asking congress, assembled in joint
session for approval to "use the armed
forces of the United States in such
ways and to such extent as may be
necessary to obtain from General
Huerta and mis- adherents the fullest
recognition of the rights and dignity
of the United States.''
The president did not ask for any
appropriation OF money at this time,
nor for authority to call out the ma
tional guard. There can be no thought
OF aggression or of selfish aggrandtze-
ment," declared the president to the
sober faced throng of senators and rep
resentatives which packed the hall Of
the house
This government can, I earnestly
into war with the people OF Mexico.
If armed conflict should unhappily
come as the result Of his (Huerta's)
attitude, Of personal resentment to-
ward the government we should be
fighting only General Huerta' and
those who adhere to him and give
him support, and our object would be
only to restore to the people OF the
distracted republic the opportunity
to set up again their own laws and
their own government.
There can, in what we do. be no
thought Of aggression or of selfish ag-
grandizement. We seek to maintain
the dignity and authority of the
United States only because we wish al
ways to keep our great influence un->
impaired for the uses OF liberty, both
in the United States and wherever
else it may be employed for the bene-
fit of mankind"
Washington, April 2o.-President WILL
son laid the Mexican situation before
congress today in these words:
Gentlemen OF the COngress:-It IL
my duty to call your attention to a
situation which has arisen in our deal
ings with General Victoriano Huerta
at Mexico City, which calls for action,
and to ask your advice and co-Opera-
ton in acting upon 1t.
"On the 9Th Of April a paymaster Of
the United States steamship Dolphin
landed at the Iturbide bridge landing,
at Tampico. with a whaleboat and
boats crew to take OF certain supplies
needed by his ship and while engaged
in loading the boat, was arrested by
an officer and squad of men Of the
army Of General Huerta. Neither the
paymaster nor any one OF the boats
crew was armed. Two of the men
were in the boat when the arrest took
place and were obliged to leave 1t and
submit to be taken into custody. not
withstanding the fact that the boat
carried, both at her bow and at her
stern the flag Of the United States.
'The officer who made the arrest was
proceeding upon one Of the streets OF
the town with his prisoners when met
by an officer Of higher authority who
ordered him to return to the landing
and await orders and within an hour
and half from the time Of the arrest,
orders were received from the comman-
der of the Huertaista forces at Tampi-
co. for the release Of the paymaster
and his men.
Apologies We're Made.
THE release was followed apologies
from the commander and later by an
expression of regret by General Huerta
himself General Huerta urged that
martial law obtained at the time at
Tampico; that orders had been issued
that no one should be allowed to land
at the Iturbide bridge; and that our
sailors had no right to land there.
Our naval commanders at the port
had not been notified of any pro-
hibition and. even IL they had been
the only justifiable course open to
the local authorities, would have been
to request the paymaster and his crew
to withdraw, and to lodge a protest
with the commanding officer of the
fleet. Admiral Mayo regarded the ar
IcSt tAS 50 ScTlOuS an dufOnt tnac ne
was not satisfied with the apology Of
fered but demanded that the flag Of
the United States be saluted with
special ceremony by the military
commander of the port.
THE incident cannot be regarded
as trivial one, especially as two of
the men arrested were taken from the
boat itself-that is to say from the
territory of the United States; but
had it stood by itself. it might have
been attributed to the ignorance or
arrogance Of single officer Un-
fortunately it was not an isolated
case"
Series Of Incidents.
"A series of incidents have recently
occurred which cannot but create the
impression that the representatives OF
Huerta were willing to go out of their
way to show disregard for the dignity
and rights Of this government and felt
perfectly safe in doing what they
pleased, making free to show in many
ways their irritation and contempt
4 few days after the incident al
TAmpico. an orderly from the United
States steamship Minnesota, was ar
rested at Vera Cruz, while ashore in
uniform, to obtain the ships mail and
was for a time thrown into Jail. An
official dispatch from this govern
ment to its embassy at Mexico City.
CContinued on Page TWo.l