Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-05-06

WASHINGTON, May 6.-orders
have gone from the war department.
to General Funston, it was learned
today, authorizing him to extend his
lines about Vera Cruz. as far as in
his Judgment it is necessary"
This, it was explained, gives the
American commander virtually free
hand in dealing with the situation at
Vera Cruz, and 1t was said that the
American lines would at once be ex-
tended and heavy fortificationa
thrown up.
General Funston. at Vera Cruz, re-
ported to the war department today
that he had no definite information
regarding movements of Mexican
troops, and said he thought it prob
able that such concentration as tbs
Mexican forces had made was nn-s
for the purpose of defending the lines
of railroads TO Mexico City, in case
the United States troops should ad-
vance. Mexican natives reported that
the track of the Interoceanic railroad
was being torn up.
Badger Reports Tampico Fight.
Admiral Badger reported to z1as
navy department today that Cons1i-
tutionalist forces made a sharp at
tack yesterday upon Mexican Federal
troops in thenorthWestern portion OF
the province of Vera Cruz, and to the
west of Tanpico. There was no de-
cisive result as far as he could learn.
the report stated.
Admiral Badgers report said
further that Admiral Mayo informed
him of persistent rumors current
about Tampico that General villa
was on his way with reinforcements
for the Constitutionalists and in-
tended to take and burn the CITY"
Admiral Mayor stated that he did rot
put the slightest faith in the truce
supposed to have been arranged be-
tween the Constitutionalists and Fed
eralists at Tampico. There had been
no trouble recently in the oil well
district, he added.
Renewed efforts of the South Amer
ican envoys to bring Carrauza, Con-
stitutionalist chief, into preliminary
mediation negotiations came as a
swift turn of events that excited
sharp interest in the Mexican crisis
today. While it had appeared Car
rama had been eliminated, temporar-
.ly from mediation preliminaries be-
| cause of his refusal TO declare a truce.
yet 1t developed today that the en-
voys were seeking to induce him to
| send an agent to conferences between
| Huertistas and representatives of the
United States to be begun in Niagara
| Falls, Canada, on May 1s
ENJOYS Still Hopeful
No formal mediation of the broad
Mexican problem could be attempted
until an armistice was arranged be-
tween contending factions in the
Southern republic, but the mediators'
aim vvaS said m he fa No -
a Carranza agent for a direct discuss
sion of the situation. 1t was UNDER
! stood they had further explained to
/ Carranza their position previously
outlined and still were hopeful he
would send a representative not re-
stricted to discussion of any particu-
| lar feature.
| The language Of the announcement
| that Niagara Falls, Canada, had been
| chosen for the scene of exchanges was
/ interpreted by some observers as in
/ dieating that the ENJOYS had not
! abandoned hope of attempting to
| compose the entire Mexican problem,
| despite Carranza's assertion that any
| attempt to take up the republics in
| ternal troubles was beyond the range
! of diplomatic activity. The phrase
| that attracted attention was that the
/ ENJOYS would confer with missions OF
| the different parties interested in
mediation" Specific parties were not
/ named, and later it was authorita-
| lively learned that further communi-
cation had been taken up with Car
/ rama.
How far that effort would succeed
| was an absorbing question. Many OBJ
servers thought that on it's result
| would hinge to a large degree the
! hope of general mediation of Mexico's
ills.
Look for Early Reply.
Confident of an early reply from tha
rebel chief, the mediators today be-
| gan routing arrangements for the
/ Niagara Falls conference. Under pres
/ en- conditions their initial activities
still would be confined to the exer-
| else of good offices" in the dispute
| between Huerta and the United
| States. Whether those preliminaries
would develop into formal mediatian
| could not be foreseen. Nevertheless,
the ENJOYS proceeded with hope that
| the parleying might result faverably.
/ and that their work eventually might
embrace the whole range of Mexicar
| affairs Huerta's Representatives
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