Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-04-21
HUERTADEfIESU.S.
AS FLEET BUSHES
TO MEXICAN PORT
United States Ready to Seize
Custom Houses and Occupy
Tampico.
VAST SEA FORCE ASSEMBL ED
Charge o'Shaughnessy May Be Given
His Passports by the Dictator
Wilson to Compel Salute
to Flag.


to Flag.
Vera Cruz, Mex. April 15.-The
Mexican foreign minister, Senior Por-
tillo Rojas, has transmitted to the
American charge daffaires, Nelson
O'Shaughnessy, a note dealing with
the arrest of the assistant paymaster,
Copp, and a detachment of bluejack-
cts from the United States gunboat
Dolphin at Tampico and the demand
of Admiral Mayo that the American
flag be saluted. In effect the note says
that the Mexican government cannot
see wherein, under international law,
the federals have inflicted any insult on
the American nation; that its ordering
the army publicly to salute the Ameri-
can flag under the circumstances
would be an admission that the United
States is exercising undue influences
over this countrys free action, aad
that the president is disposed to up
hold the honor and sovereignty of
Mexico at any cost.
Mexico City, April 15.-Optimism
prevails in official circles 1t is
stated on high authority that Presi-
dent Huerta believes the difficulties
of the nation are rapidly approach
ing solution by which all elements
will be united. General Huerta
showed little concern when the news
hnd he hot
son had ordered more American bat
tleships to Tampico to compel the fed
eral government to salute the United
States flag. 1t is known that the Next
can president regards the apology he
has already made as ample.
Washington, April 15.-At a long
cabinet meeting President Wilson and
his advisers reached a decision that
the policy Of "watchful waiting" must
be abandoned for more drastic mode
of dealing with President Huerta. AS
a basis for the coming change of pol
icy, orders were sent to Rear Ad-
miral Charles ]. Badger, commander
in-chief of the Atlantic fleet, now at
AIdLHptOA " pIOSSSu with lnO
vessels under his command at once to
Tampico.
Virtually all other naval vessels on
the Atlantic coast or in the West
indies were either ordered to Tampico
or directed to hold themselves in
readiness.
The idea of sending such a great |
fleet to Tampico was first to compel |
the Huerta government to salute the |
American flag as an apology for the |
arrest of American bluejackets.
Machine Guns In Capital.
Eighty United States marines with |
machine guns are secretly in Mexico |
City in plain clothes. prepared to lead
in the defense of the American colony
If the aggressive measures by the |
United States government should pre-
cipitate retaliatory action.
Rear Admiral Mayo reported this |
message to the navy department: |
THE attack of the constitutionalists
on Tampico is undoubtedly over and
the refugees who were taken on board |
battleships at Tampico are now being
landed"
No uitimatum was issued. that is, |
no specified time was set within which |
the Rlerta government must comply, !
but the naval demonstration was or
dered as a concrete evidence of the
fixed determination of the United
States to back up Rear Admiral
Mayo's demand for a salute
Rear Admiral Badgers force at
Tampico, not including vessels that
are held in readiness, although not
actually ordered to the scene. will con-
sist of II great battleships with many
cruisers ard auxiliary craft. carrying
in all about fifteen thousand men.
Huerta Says Sailors Erred.
The decision to send the fleet was
reached after the president and Sec
rotary Bryan had conferred for an
hour with John Lind, personal repre-
sentative of the president in Mexico, |
and after a two-hour cabinet meeting,
during which dispatches from Charge
Shaughnessy revealed that the
Huerta government disputed the right |
of American bluejackets to be ashore
at Tampico and contended that its re-
cent public statement of apology was
ample, Immediately after the cabinet
meeting adjourned Secretary Daniels |
issued his order to the Atlantic fleet |
Wireless messages flashed up and |
down the Atlantic coast to put the |
feet under steam for Tampico. 1t |
will be the largest fighting force the
American government has assembled |
for possible action since the Spanish |
American war.
While the navy moved on the Allan |
tic coast Secretary Daniels was giving |
his attention to the situation in the |
Pacific. Most of the American war /
craft in the Pacific already are in |
Mexican waters.
Twelve thousand troops are at Texas |
City, where four army transports are
Ex-Governor's Daughter Engaged.
Springfield III ADriI l5-The en-