Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1915-01-01


North sea was confidently expected by
the waiting world. 1t soon became APP
parent that Great Britain's purpose was
to deal 2 fatal blow at German commerce,
safeguard that of Belgium, France and its
own and render the enemy's fleet inopera-
tive by holding it in the Baltic. A week
later, the port authorities of New York
were notified that the Atlantic lines were
unobstructed, and few days afterward
the Pacific lines were pronounced ''open
and safe" Sixty British war vessels
guarded the exit of the Kiel Canal and
prevented the thirty German battleships
anchored there from coming out. Within
a Few days, more than thirty of the great
German ocean liners were informed in
neutral waters and a number of German
stroyed
By the middle of November more than
four hundred war vessels and merchant
men on all sides had been captured or in
| termed in neutral ports. The Emden in
the Pacific and the Karlsruhe in the
South Atlantic, two German raiders,
preyed successfully upon allied and neu-
tral commerce until the former was put
| out of action. During the past three
months the Germans have destroyed a
| number of British cruisers by means of
torpedoes. In an action off the coast of
Chile, squadron of five German war
| ShtPS Sdiih TIE monmouth ana GOOD HOPE
with all on board. On October gal
though it was not known to the public
for fortnight afterward-the British
| super-dreadnaught Audacious was sunk
J by mine off the coast of Ireland Short
| " afterward. the British admiralty de-
clared the North sea a closed military
/ area.
On December 8 the German cruisers
Scharnhorst, Gneisau. Leipzig and Nuern-
! Al
| by British squadron under Vice-Admiral
| Sir Frederick Sturdee, off the Falkland
islands. The German cruiser Dresden es-
capped, badly damaged. December 16 a
! German feet bombarded the English coast
towns of Hartlepool, Whitby and Scar
borough, killing $50 and wounding 300 citi-
zens and causing much property damage
Three British merchant vessels were sunk
1 by mines laid by the bombarding fleet.
| At the close of the year operations in
the west seem practically at a standstill
December II the Germans reported VIC
| tory in Poland
! As a result of the immediate paralysis
in the financial world due to the sudden
! embodiment of the European nations,
Americans abroad were subjected to
great Inconvenience and not a little actual
: hardship. Much relief was afforded the
| Belgian sufferers and large sums of
/ money for the purpose were raised all
over the country.
The American Red Cross sent the relief
ship Red Cross TO European waters,
with a full equipment of physicians
nurses and supplies. on September L.
Chaotic Conditions In Mexico.
/ Early in the year foreign nations began
to be critical of the administrators
"hands-off" Mexican policy and to insist
/ that the job of pacifying Mexico belonged
logically to the United States victo-
riano Huerta had held the provisional
| presidency for a year and boosted in his
cups that he would hold his office longer
than President Wilson would remain in
the White House. Meanwhile the bandit
chief Pancho villa was steadily gaining
of the revolution. which was fought for
almost two weeks, ended In victory for
the rebel forces.
There was an appalling loss of life in
this long continued fight, and more than
| four thousand fugitives crossed the Rio
Grande and took refuge in American ter
ritory. Here they were cared for by the
United States authorities.
| On February President Wilson re-
vohed an order by his predecessor in Of
| fee to put stop to the shipment of arms
4 and ammunition into Mexico by citizens
of the United States On April H. Presi-
dent Wilson instructed Secretary Daniels
to assemble an imposing naval force at
| Tampico. on the Mexican coast This
| was due to the refusal of the Mexican
president and his military aids to salute
the American flag as an essential feature
OF an apology for an unwarranted arrest
and Imprisonment of several American
! bluejackets who had landed on Mexican
soil to obtain supply of gasoline.
| Although the episode was the result of
misunderstanding in which all the par
/ -1.-. ~ IL
was manifest that Huerta was In no mood
to comply with any request of the Wash
| ington authorities. however politely and
! even delicately made, He refused to or
! der the salute, and the naval demonstra-
ton followed.
/ Congress passed a resolution sustaining
| the president in the position which he
had taken. On April q Admiral Fletcher
seized the custom house at Vera Cruz
The Mexicans resisted the occupation OF
the custom house and the result was a
| fight. in which 16 Americans were killed
and II wounded General Mas, in COM
mand of the garrison. withdrew and left
4 the Americans in possession.
Nelson OShaugnessy, the American rep
resentative. was given his passports and
requested to leave the country Brig
| Gen. Frederick Funston, commander OF
| the American forces at Vera Cruz was
ready to enter on a vigorous campaign.
| BEFORE hosthties were carried further
the diplomatic representatives at Wash
ington of Argentina. Brazil and Chile sent
in to the office of the department of state
a formal tender of their services as medi-
ators. President Wilson accepted the Of
| fer and both Huerta and Carranza ac-
| cepted the proffered mediation.
1 The mediatory conference was held at
Niagara Falls. Canada, and opened on
| May 20. On June Il the conference had
agreed upon a plan accepted both by
President Wilson and Huerta Then a
deadlock arose over the choice for presi-
dent-the American delegates declined to
| accept the name OF any nonconstitutional-
list.
Meanwhile, the constitutionalists were
making unmistalxable advance toward the
| capital. Their success was so pronounced
that 1t was evident they would soon be In
control of the government
On July the conference came to an
end without definite result. and four days