The Sentinel=record., 1914-04-15

do nothing until an investigation had 1 been completed Others argued that l Huerta would evade the issue and 1 delay and that prompt and vigorous action was necessary. John Lind, t i is understood, in his conference with the president and Secretary Bryan, 1 had counseled a forceful move. For two hours the cabinet discussed the | pros and cons and the possible con sequences of drastic action and the plan of sending the fleet as a warn ing to Huerta of the lengths to which the Washington government was prepared to go to enforce it's policy was unanimously adopted. There was no previous intimation that the naval demonstration would be ordered but this as we'll as other moves, had been discussed on many an occasion in the past.
 Cabinet officers and others were insistent that no change in the gen eral policy toward Mexico was im- minent and that so far as possible the factions would be left to fight 1 their battles unhampered by Ameri- can interference. Officials declared with emphasis that no other phases of the Mexican situation beyond the affront to the flag at Tampico were involved in the despatch of the fleet, though officials admitted the strate- gic value of having a big fighting force in proximity to country in which emergencies might arise at any time.
 No direct statement of explanation of the developments of today was issued either by the white house or the state department, the announce ment from the navy department fur nishing the key to the situation.
 Action, not words" was the way a cabinet officer described the move.
 Incidentally copy of the naval orders issued by Secretary Daniels is understood to have been transmitted to Charge O'Shaughnessy so that the Huerta government might be in- formed of the course which the United States had adopted. + was said that there was no necessity of informing other foreign governments unless a state of blockade was de clared.
 News of the despatch of the fleet to Mexican waters was received in congress with general satisfaction. In the house, Representative Mur- dock of Kansas publicly proclaimed the news of Secretary Daniels ordrr and there was mild demonstration of approval. No public announce ment was made in the senate but the news quickly spread.
 Tomorrow the situation will oc- cupy the attention of the senate for eign relations committee. Members of the house foreign affairs commit tee today also manifested keen in- terest in developments, and Repre- sentative Flood, chairman. conferred with his colleagues abopt prepara- tion for any emergency that might arise. Beyond asserting that the sit uation seemed to be a serious one, Acting Chairman Shively of the sen ate foreign relations committee made no comment
 Many senators and representatives expressed themselves in sympathy with the administration in Dorderng more ships to Tampico. but declined to be quoted in view of the ncer- | tainty as to what might eventuate.
 The despatch of the fleet caused excitement in the national capital generally. Newspapers ordered their representatives to Hampton Roads and tonight the navy department had granted permission to twenty report CTS and photographers to accompany the fleet on it's cruise.
 It will be fully week before the Atlantic fleet is assembled at Tam pico, though the ships are expected to be steaming away tomorrow, Rear Admiral Badger will rank both Rear Admiral Fletcher and Rear Ad- mral Mayo and will take complete charge of the situation.
 While the ships are under way General Huerta will have about a week in which to answer the Ameri- can demands. The crisis in the sit uation is expected to come if General Huerta declines to yield by the time the Atlantic fleet arrives. Various succeeding steps were being dis
 cussed among naval officers today and those familiar with precedent said there was no exact parallel in
 international law.
 It was pointetd out by some that the United States might land ma rines and seize Tampico to obtain
 satisfaction for the incident, but this : raised the question of whether or not
 an act of war would he involved , The Washington administration has pronounced itself on the subject oi