The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1915-08-11
Unwise Move May Bring
Death to Hundreds Of
Americans Residing in Ter
ritory Controlled by Villa.
LANSING is SECRETIVE
Admiral Benson Muzzled by
Secretary of State to Pre-
vent Mexicans Killing
Americans.

Carranza and especially Vera Cruz are
the hotbed Of the feeling, every sec
ton is affected, due to the belief that
the United States has determined on
armed Intervention If the Mexican peo-
pie do not agree to a government sat.
isfactory to President Wilson.
The slightest mistake at this time
would precipitate an appalling massa-
ere. officials admit. Because Of this,
the naval and military preparations
which are being pushed, have been
shrouded in secrecy.
Admiral Benson MuzzIed.
Admiral Benson, chief Of staff of the
navy, and an advocate of massing the
entire Atlantic fleet in Mexican wat
ers, has been muzzled. Army and navy
officers have been directed to say
nothing about plans.
Meanwhile, President Wilson will be
back in Washington tomorrow to take
personal charge Of the situation; Sec
retaries Garrison and Daniels have
been ordered back on the job forth
with, and Secretary Lansing, in New
York, is xendeavoring to line up South
America for his plan Of settling the
entire trouble,
The battleships New Hampshire and
Louisiana, with a full complement of
men, are headed south from Newport
for Vera Cruz. The gunboats Mari
eta, Wheeling and Machias, now in
Mexican waters, have been ordered to
Vera Cruz to reinforce Commander
McNamee, who is holding the fort
there, with only the gunboat Sacra-
mento.
May Divide Fleet.
The captain of the Tennessee, en-.
route to Haiti, with Colonel Walters
regiment of marines to reinforce Rear
Admiral Caperton, has been ordered to
stand ready for changed orders and
may be diverted to Vera Cruz. Cap
erton himself has been told that he
may have to start for the Mexican sea-
port from Haiti if a crisis is forced
on the United States, and to keep the
Connecticut ready for immediate ac-
ton.
The grave danger at present is that
Carranza, intensely angered because
his representatives have wired him
that there is no hope that his govern
me1t will receive recognition. may per-
NIT outrages against foreigners. Many
high officials here believe that he
would welcome armed intervention in
the expectation that all of the other
Mexican factions would unite behind
him to oppose foreign foe, and tha.
when peace was declared he would be
the man to be recognized.
SiIIiman Warns carranza.
He has been warned by Consul Sill
man, however. that any such hope is
vain. The element of personal respon-
sibility is to be injected into the stu
alton by the United States, it is en-
phatically declared. and the chief If
territory will be punished for outrages
that he permits within that territory.
The present situation has served to
emphasize the differences between the
navy and the state department. If
Admiral Benson had had his way, the
warships nov in Mexican waters
would have been added a week ago But
Secretary Lansing has insisted that
no move be taken that would indicate
any intention to resort to force. If
President Wilson personally had not
intervened and ordered the Louisiana
and New Hampshire to sail. they still
would be in Newport harbor.
Lansing Is Secretive.
Under Secretary Lansing the state
department is even more secretivc
than it was under former Secretary
Bryan and all officials have been warE-
ed that they must not permit any of
It's business to become known.
Because of this policy. no informa-
tio,l concerning the business to be
taken up at today's New York confe"-
ence has been permitted to leak out
Secretary Lansing has said that def
mite plan would be completed. Am
bassador DeGama of Brazil. takes di-
rect exception to this statement. He
declares that all that can be done is to
tender the good offices of the various
countries to the Mexican people and