The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-04-05

new IlC SlblC4hpb W 49, -
fred Zimmerman, German foreign Sec
rotary, to give the impression that the
move to induce Mexico and Japan tC
make war upon the United States was
undertaken only recently, and then
simply as a matter of "self-defenSe,
is not borne out by facts which the
New York Herald claims long to have
had in its possession and which now
may be made public. Their publica'
ton also will throw new light upon
the much criticized persecution OF
Victoriano Huerta by President Will
son, his efforts to depOse the Mexican
dictator, his anxiety to bring about
the equalization of the Panama tolls,
his interest in the purchase of the
Danish West Indies his activity in
Haitian affairs, and his ''watchful
waiting" policy under strongest provo
cations from Mexico.
That Germany was plotting early in
1914, six months before the European
war started, to bring on war between
the United States and Mexico and
make that war the beginning of a
world conflict, is statement coming
from q war observer, an American,
who is in a position to know much OF
what has been back of the diplomatic
moves made in Washington during the
last three years.
The New York Herald's inform
ant makes this revelation now only
because the news Of Germany's plot
to induce Mexico and Japan to enter
a war against the United States has
removed whatever diplomatic reasons
there were for secrecy.
Panama ToHs Question.
This observers information is that
President Wilson knew as early as
February 10, 1914, that Germany was
meddling in Mexico and that he had
this In mind when, in his address to
congress on March 5, 1914, urging
equal tolls for foreign and American
ships using the Panama canal, he
said:
II ask this of you in support of the
foreign policy of the administration.
I shall not know how to deal with
other matters of even greater delicacy
and nearer consequence If you do not
grant 1t to me in ungrudging meas
ure"
'This was the beginning" says the
Herald's informant, "of whisperings in
WaShingtOn's official circles that Ger
many was trying to entangle the Unit
ed States in war with Mexico. Before
the president made this speech he and
the members of his cabinet were about
the only Americans who had the
slightest knowledge of Germany's ac-
tivities, and even they did not at that
time realize their true significance.
Later, as I will show further on,
President Wilson was made fully
cOgnizant of the extent of Germany's
intrigues and knew that the German
the island of Haiti, to establish q ma
val base at Mole st. Nicholas, to begin
war with the United States and de-
strOy the Monroe Doctrine, so that
South and Central America might be
thrown open to German colonization.
That was very clearly begun on
the evening of July %, 1914, and I'M
doubtedly would have been started
that night had not Austria de-
clared war on Serbia on the same
date, thus calling off Germany'S ac-
tivitles from this side of the Atlantic
for the time being. I shall speak OF
this n little later, but now will turn
81 hn
Quence of events there.
British Enjoys Trip.
"Huerta had been the facto presi-
dent of Mexico little more than
year when on February 10, 1914, it was
announced in Washington that Sir
Lionel Garden, the retiring British
minister to Mexico, was coming to
Washington and that Sir Cecil Spring
Rice, the British ambassador. had ar
ranged for him to have a conference
with President Wilson. This was sig
nificant because Mr.. Wilson had at
first objected to receiving Sir Lionel
because of the latter'S show of friend
ship for Huerta. President Wilson'S
feeling toward Sir Lionel had become
such that Sir Edward Grey and the
premier, Mr.. Asquith, had tried to
smooth out matters by making
speeches to parliament in which the
loyalty of Great Britain was pledged
to the United States. They declared
the British government had nothing
but the most friendly feeling toward
the United States and that every step
was being taken morally to support
the latter's handling of the Mexican
problem.
ut was just q little more than
month later, April 10, that United
States paymaster and several marines
who went ashore at Tampico were ar
rested by one of Huerta's generals.
This incident caused Admiral Mayo'S
demand that Huerta's soldiers salute
the United States flag and the rushing
of the Atlantic fleet of II warShipS to
Mexican waters. Think of It'll war
ships to scare Huerta into saluting the
United StateSl That was the reason
given out. The real reason was that
Huerta was just as much an agent OF
Germany then as he was in June, 1915
after he had been deposed and had
gone to Spain-when he returned to
this country and went to Texas, where
he was arrested and died prisoner of
the United States.
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