The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-10
Admiral Says i'll an Inter-
view That. Americans
Were Not Desc led
AFFAIR NOT 7rARkED
BY GROSS DUNGLING
George Crcel Says Lie Is Based on
Suppression of Reports Mayo Dc
MES That He and Consul Miller Sent
Protests to Secretary Daniels.

NEW YORK, Oct. 1O.-In order to
find the facts of the so-called Tampico
Incident with Mexico in 1914, George
Crccl has interviewed Admiral II. T.
MAYO. who was in command of the
American naval forces at Tampieo
Permission to do so was given by See
rotary Daniels Creel says that Mayo
is "thc one man able to speak with au
thoritv and TO pass accurately upon the
truth or falsity of the charges" He
quotes Admiral Mayo as follows:-
at is misrepresentation to say that
American citizens in TamFico were de
serted in an hour of imminent danger.
II is distorting facts to say that Ameri-
cans, robbed of the protection of their
own flag, were forced to seek refuge
under the colors of n foreign power.
1t is not true that the Tampico affair
was marked by gross bungling. The
fact that close to 5000 Americans were
taken ont of the city. without loss of
life or destruction of property, is q
result that ought TO speak for itself.
! have no interest in parties or poll
teal controversies but | have q very
deep interest IN the honor of the United
States. the pride of the American navy.
1t is this honor and this pride that
ann glad to defend against aspersion
and misrepresentation
Cree then quotes the admiral at
length, in effect as follows: that he
(Admiral Mayo went first to Tampico
in December, 1913, that by February,
1914, the situation there had become
so entirely normal that Admiral Flctch
or had decided to concentrate NEST Of
the American forces at Nera Cruz, that
early in March the rebels gathered
around Tampico and that he was sent
back, that on April 9. he learned that
the crew of the Dolphin s whalchoat
had been arrested by IIuerta officials
that he told General Zaragoza, in com
mand, that the officer who made the ar.
rest must be punished and that the
flag Of the United States must he sal
uted, that the general had to refer the
affair to Mexico City, and that he gave
him until April - and that on that
day the affair went ont Of the admiral :
hands into that of the state department
and ON April 13 he learned that Ad-
miral Badger had been ordered to leave
Hampton Roads for Tampi,o, that on
April II federal rciuforcements had
Z
! had improved to such q degree that
Admiral Mayo landed the refugees
from the battlcships and that on April
20 he was ordered to Vera Cruz with all
his ships except the DesMoines. which
was TO remain at Tampico.
Crerl then quotes Admiral Mayo to
the effect that when the order Of
April % was issued, SccrctarT Daniels
had every reason to believe that affairs
at Tampico were normal and had been
since April II. "Ths is the point of
importance, Crccl says. The whole
Tampico lie is based upon the suppress
sion of Admiral Mavo's reports be
tween April Is and April 20, thus con
vcying the false impression that the
excitement of April 10 had continued
| from day to day without cessation.
/ This was the situation on A3ril
/ 20 as Washington saw it: As q result
/ of luerta S refusal to give up the de-
/ mandcd salute, decisive action was de-
/ cidcd upon. Not uneounccted with
Huerta s policy of deceit and DELAY
was the fact that the German steamer
/ Hpirmga, loaded with arms and NUM-
tions for the Huerta forces, was an
/ preaching Vera Cruz. To prevent this
delivery, and to punish Hucrta for his
I insolencc, the seizure Of the custom
house at Vera Cruz was ordcred'
/ Greet says that the drcadnoughts
under Fletcher at Vera Cruz were un.
able to enter the harbor and could af.
/ ford slight protection to landing par.
/ ties, that under Mayo at Tampico
were light draft vessels fitted for that
purpose and that therefore Mayo was
ordered to Vera Cruz, as Tampico was
/ quiet. He asked Admiral Mayo, he
says, wlnt he thought of this expla-
nation and quotes the admiral as re-
/ plying
What any honest man must think
Of it. 1t is simple, straightforward
and convincing'
Creel also quotes the admiral to the
! effect that neither he or Consul Miller
sent protests to Secretary Daniels. In