The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-01
HUERTA LOSING GRIP
ON MEXICAN CAPITAL
Rebel Strength and Audacity
Increase in Face of His
Buster.
ZAPATA ALARMS THE CITY
Newspapers Change Their Tone
and Some Even Cpnsure
the Administration.

From q star Correspondent Of THE Sun.
MExIco CITY. Dec. 10.--At the present
moment all that can be certainly predi-
Gated or predicted OF the Mexican situa-
,ion is that II Is growing steadily worse
and that IL can get no better while WASH
ington's policy continues 10 hamper the De
facto Government and encourage the
rebels, who are daily increasing In num-
hers. strength and confidence.
understanding President Huerta's
statement last week that he is only be-
ginning to fight, having heretofore been
restricted 20 the task OF organizing an
adequate army. which he now processes
TO have the rebels swarm in every quarter
Of the republic and are developing a more
audac.ous strategy every day.
Las. weeks attack on Tamplco seems
after all To have been only n clever feint
whereby the rebels got much needed rail-
way repair supplies. engines, cars and
dynamite. incidentally divertins to the
defence Of Tampico the Federal forces SO
AZ 10 lay open TO attack the important
cities of Monterey and San Luis Potos
whenever the rebels may be ready to seize
them. The rebel retreat from Tampico
means anything except rebel defeat. Their
strategy is to capture towns, loot them
and move on, leaving the Federals. after
eNhaustng forced marches, TO occupy the
dcspoiled places.
one of the most thrilling features Of the
present situation IL the presence OF Emil
liauo Xapata, the bandit whom Mexicans
call the Att!la Of the South. in the very
suburbs Of the capital. within fifteen miles
of the National Palace. Zapata has his
headquarters on the Neranapa ranch. an
estate ON the edge OF the little town Il
Milpa Alta, IN the summer residence OF
poririo DiaZ
This lis the first time in two years that
Iapata has come practically TO the cap
ital. The last time was during the Ma
dero regime. when the bandit rode into
town and up to the door of the historic
Hotel lturbide. whilom palace of the
Mexican Emperor, and entering, threw the
cartridges on, OF his Winchester.
As soon as the missiles ceased 10 clat-
ter upon the stone floor Zapata took the
pen tremblingly held out TO him by the
hotel clerk and registered. warning the
clerk that he expected the best room in
the house. Thence he went to the palace
where Madero embraced him as bravest
and best beloved Of his chieftains. Huerta
would dearly love to have his scalp.
The troubles OF travel In Mexico are
greatly complicated just now by the fact
that bills issued by the banks OF the
different states are legal tender only In
the state in which issued.
Thus az each state line In crossed it's
money becomes temporarily valueless and
the traveller must provide himself. II he
can, with money of the State which he
has just entered.
With the unchecked growth OF the revo-
luton and the closing in OF the rebels
upon the very capital the press. hereto
fore sycophantic in its praise OF the Gov
crnment, has within the last few days
changed notably IN tone. some OF the most
important papers severely censuring the
Administration for Its failure to restore
peace
These papers declare that the Federal
commanders are inept and lacking In ag-
gresslvencss, while the rebels are left
freely to organize in every part Of the
country.
Though not daring 10 speak openly
some of the papers plainly imply that
the country is being ground to dust be-
tween Carranza and Huerta, and that the
only way to end the slaughter and de-
struction which otherwise promise to con-
tinue endlessly is for all patriotic Mex
leans to combine for the restoration OF
peace and the country's salvation.
The plain Implication Is that the Huerta
Government has proved failure,