Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-03-09
ALLIED EXPED|-
ton TO AID PEG:
PIE IN MEXICO
Obregon Refuses Relief With Cap
ital on Verge of Star
walton.
800 MERCHANTS ARE SEIZED
Inhabitants are Living in Terror Of
Pillage After Evacuation
Diplomats Aroused.
800 MERCHANTS ARE SEIZED

Washington, D. c., March g.
President Wilson was confronted
last night with one Of the most SER
ious and perplexing developments
that has ever arisen in the Mexican
situation. Mexico City is on the
verge of starvation. General Obre-
gon, the CarranZa commander, re-
fused to permit an international re-
lief committee composed of wealthy
members of the foreign colony to
succor the needy.
Mexico needs no foreign aid"
the general is reported to have said.
All merchants who closed their
stores have been ordered to reopen
under threat of punishment. Three
hundred of them, all Mexicans, have
been imprisoned. The people of the
city are living in terror of another
evacuation, since Obregon has an
nounced that he will not prevent
looting or pillaging for food or
money.
The Brazilian, British, Spanish
and Italian ambassadors called sep
arately at the state department yes
terday bringing pessimistic reports
of the situation which correspondent
to reports already received by the
American government. The foreign
diplomats suggested no solution.
Secretary Bryan announced that
he had sent an urgent telegram to
American Consul Silliman with in.
structions to lay the situation earn
estly before General Carranza, SO
that General Obregon might be d.
rected to accept the proffered aid Of
their foreign residents.
Freight service is suspended be-
tween Mexico City and Vera Cruz.
Transportation facilities for relief
purposes are being withheld by Gen.
eral Obregon on the ground of mill
tary necessity.
President Wilson was advised Of
all the facts late yesterday as re-
vealed in official messages and the
reports from the foreign ambassa-
doris. Last night the president was
reported to be studying the various
phases of the question closely.
Should General Obregon continue
to refuse outside aid, drastic meas
ures might be necessary, in the view
If foreign diplomats. The situation
IS described by them as more intol-
cradle than it ever has been since
troubles began in the
southern republic.
Talk of an allied expedition SINH
ar to the one that went to the re-
ief of foreign legations at PekinS
Turing the Boxer uprising, was again
heard in official quarters where it
vas generally admitted that a grave
of affairs had arisen.
For the present the outcome of
he Geographic correspondence with
General Carranza will be awaited.
hitherto he has been reported as
landing by all the activities of Cen
raj Oregon, whose purpose, accord
ng to official reports, seems to be to
orce the lower classes to enlist in
he Carranza army or starve.
All sorts of wild rumors are
float in Mexico City due to the in
endiary utterances of General Obre-
on who, in newspaper interviews,
as practically sanctioned plumber
Or food.
General Carranza has been asked .
y the American government to in
,ruct General Obreson to take some
,easures to protect lives and prop
-ty of foreigners in the event of an
1acuation.