New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-02
Among All Parties. at
Home and Abroad, the
Answer Is Awaited.
BUT NOBODY KNOWS
WHEN 1T WILL COME
Patchin Finds That All Observers
Believe American Action
Only Solution.
BY PHILIP II. PATCHTN.

Among the handful OF Americans IN
Mexico City, OF whom there are only hun
drcds now where there were thousands
that query is constant When. they ask,
is the administration in Washington to
act? When will something be done tow
ard settlement Of the Mexican PROB
lem? When will action be taken which
will disabuse the Mexican mind OF the
thought that makes the shrieking bull
fight fan" hurl the epithet OF "Gringo
at a bull which refuses 10 fight? When
will come the American Intervention
which all consider as the inevitable solu-
ton of the o-ican problem so long as
the present American policy remains one
OF non-action?
Again in Vera Cruz-where lie SHIPS or
the American navy, flied with sailors
and marines who, deprived Of all shore
liberty. are stagnating, getting SOFT ana
growing more and more anxious COR some
forward movement, aone change any
thing, f nothing more than going home
the query "When?" stands foremost
From the admiral of the fleet, who hasnt
the slightest knowledge OF what his gov
eminent actually intends to do, down 10
the lowest Jackie whose greatest excite
ment these dIys is reluctantly TO attend
tho newly established schools aboard ship
they all want to know When ships come
down from "the States with sparse pas
senger lists. new arrivals are piled with
the query. If one is suspected Of having
special knowledge If he has been within
hailing distance of Washington, II he
comes a deluge.
And at Texas City where the army
awaits. there is the same interrogation.
Here General Funston wonders what VIII
come. and when He knows no more than
Rear Admiral Fletcher in Vera Cruz.
The administration has not taken these
leaders into it's confidence, any more than
il has divulged to the American Embassy
or the American Consulate General in
Mexico what is TO come In the future.
Perhaps the administration doesn't know.
The eight hundred or thousand Amer
leans in Mexico City, the sailors on the
ships, he soldiers at Texas City, as well
as those on the border, are doing watch
full waiting" on their own account, but
with obviously less patience than that of
the government IN Washington.
Question of the Hour.
When" is indeed the question OF the
hour. II is also question of great mag
ntude, involving serious consequences.
Were it not that American action Is con-
sldered inevitable the matter would not
be so paramount In the minds Of all.
President Wilson will not recognize
General Huerta; consequently Huerta
must 20. IL he manages to stay without
the support or assistance Of the United
States-President Wilson adhering to his
present policy OF non-interference-then
America will become the laughing stock
of the world: the administration in WASH
ington will have bet on tho wrong horse.
To eliminate Huerta Washington will he
compelled to act. sooner or later. for the
prospect Is that Huerta will cling TO his
place for months to come.
In Mexico City the best observers know
that the only solution is American action.
Diplomats. foreign as well as American,
feel it, Foreign merchants. railway men,
promoters Of mines. managers of oil com
panies-they. too. in the wisdom of ex-
perience and contact with the Mexican
people are certain that so long as there
is no change in American policy .he COM
ing Of he khaki-clad marine draws stead
lily nearer.
Even the Mexicans know, although they
have no wish, as have foreigners. to be-
lieve; and there are some MeXicans, nom
partisans or enemies Of Huerta, who are
reconcied to the thought of seeing Amer
lean soldiers in the streets OF Mexico City.
OF these there are probably few. But
there are also many Mexicans who feel
that American intervention will never
come. They are of the class that cries
"Gringo' at cowardly bull which de-
cines be killed They know that Amer
lea last year delivered an ultimatum to
Huerta anC then failed to make good.
There are still other Mexicans. and this
doubtless applies to major portion OF
the population. who despise the Colossus
Of the North" who laugh most heartily at
the filings at the United States from the
stages of theatres-the more vicious the
quip the hearter the laugh-who don't
want intervention and rather than have
American interference would let Mexico
fight herself TO death.
There is no way OF knowing precisely
whit John Lind thinks about it all. for
he won't tell. But there is mighty good
reason TO believe that what he has re-
a fq AT ri Wi
what Washington apparently assumes the
Mexican situation to be. John Lind is a
shrewd observer. and he devotes all his
time to investigating the situation" and
reaching the conclusions which he sends
to the White House. IL Is because he is
shrewd and because he does go into things
so thoroughly that he knows that Wash
ington must change It's course and make
come forward movement to adjust r situa-
ton which will never adjust itself.
Huerta's Staying Qualities.
Huerta's staying qualities are OF more
Importance In this situation than anything
else. His achievements in this direction
thus far have been little short OF mar
velous, and the prospect is that he VIII
hang on for some time TO come This is
said even in the face OF a possible severe
defeat at Torreon Such defeat will make
n difference. but probably not TO the ex-
tent OF his elimination. Again. Huerta
may win at Torreon. His troops are as
suredly putting up splendid defence.
Huertas greatest problems are financial
and military In fact. It Is all one prob