The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-04-24

Wilson in an address before a JOINT
session OF Congress TO take quick ac-
tion in support of his policy toward
the provisional President of Mexico,
the House of Representatives adopted
amid scenes OF great enthusiasm a
Joint resolution setting forth that he
was Justified in the employment OF
armed forces OF the United States
to enforce demands made upon Vic
toriano Huerta."
The resolution justifying President
Wilson's Mexican policy read as fol
lows:
A Joint resolution justifying the
employment of the armed forces OF
the United States in enforcing GER
tain demands against Victoriano
Huerta: Resolved, by the Senate and
House of Representatives in Congress
assem- bled, That the President OF the
United States is justified In the en-
ployment of the armed forces of the
United States to enforce the demands
upon Victoriano Huerta for unequiyo-
cal amends to the government of the
United States for affronts an indigni-
ties committed against this govern
ment by General Huerta and his rep
resentatives.
This is the message:
Gentlemen OF the Congress:
1T is my duty 10 call your atten-
ton to a situation which has arisen
I'm our dealings with Gen. Victoriano
Huerta at Mexico City, which calls
for action, and to ask your advice
and cooperation in acting upon it.
"On the 9th of April a paymaster of
the United States steamship Dolphin
landed at the Iturbide Bridge landing
at Tampico, with a whaleboat and
boats crew to take off certain sup
plies needed by his ship, and while
engaged in loading the boat was ar
rested by an officer and squad Of men
of the army of Gen. Huerta. Neither
the paymaster nor anyone of the
boats crew was armed. Two Of the
men were in the boat when the ar !
rest took place and were obliged to
leave 1t and submit to be taken into
custody, Notwithstanding the fact that
the boat carried, both at her bow and
at her stern, the flag of the United
States.
Apologies Not Sufficient.
"The officer who made the arrest
was proceeding up one of the streets
of the town with his prisoners when
met by an officer of higher authority.
who ordered him to return to the
landing and await orders; and within
an hour and a half from the time of
the arrest orders were received from
the commander of the Huertsta fore
es at Tampico for the release OF the
paymaster and his men. The release
was followed by apologies from the
commander and later by an express
sion of regret by Gen. Huerta himself.
"Gen. Huerta urged that martial law
obtained at the time at Tampico; that
orders had been issued that no one
should be allowed to land at the Itur
bide Bridge and that our sailors had
no right to land there. Our naval
commanders at the port had not been
notified of any such prohibition, and
even If they had been the only justi-
fable course open TO the local authori'
ties would have been to request the
paymaster and his crew to withdraw
and to lodge a protest with the COM
manding officer Of the fleet.
Admiral Mayo regarded the arrest
as so serious an affront that he was
not satisfied with the apologies offer
ed but demanded that the flag OF the
United States be saluted with special
ceremony by the military commander
of the port
"The incident cannot be regarded
as trivial one, especially as two of
the men arrested were taken from
the boat itself-that is to say. from
the territory of the United States;
but had it stood by itself 1t might
have been attributed to the ignorance
or arrogance Of single officer.
1.-THE Series of Insults"
Unfortunately, ii is not an isolated
case. A series OF incidents have re-
Gently occurred which cannot but Gre
ate the impression that the represen-
tatives of Gen. Huerta were willing to
go out of their way to show disre-
gard for the dignity and rights OF this
Government and felt perfectly safe in
doing what they pleased, making free
to show in many ways their irrita
tion and contempt.
"a few days after the incident at
Tampico an orderly from the U. S. s.
Minnesota was arrested at Vera Cruz
while ashore in uniform to obtain the
ships mail and was for time thrown
into jail. An official despatch from