Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-21
Rear Admiral Mayo: On The Job Making :,
History With Mighty Atlantic Fleet
Something About Little Known Navy Commander Who Would
Have Made Huerta Apologize for Tampico incident if Ad
ministration Hadn't Stopped Hr-Hes Been Winning Ma
tona Confidence Ever Since

Suppose-it may be far-fetched. but
Just suppose 1t. anyway-that the
kafser's fleet, daily conceding the su-
periority Of the British, French and
American fleets, should break through
the English and French and deter
mine to carry the war to American
shores. What manner Of men has the
American navy to stop It?
1t is not likely that anything like
this is going to happen, but just the
same, who would stop the Hohenzol'
lern fleet?
The man the American people must
depend upon for that task is Rear
Admiral Henry T, Mayo, according
to q writer in the Philadelphia Ledger
Most everyone knows Mayo.
He's the fellow who demanded that
Huerta salute the Stars and Stripes.
He's the fellow who does not believe
that because a Mexican ruler Is not
supposed to have the standing similar
to that enjoyed by other rulers OF the
world, he can insult the nag and get
away with It without a scrap.
Mayo Is a sandy-haired product OF
Vermont. He is 100 per cent fighter
and 100 per cent American.
He will take care Of the kaiser 8
fleet, If it ever comes this way, as
well as it is possible for any COM
mander of an American fleet to do 1t.
Two-Fisted Fighter.
He IL heither short nor tall, has
bright blue eyes, a firm mouth and
q Jaw that bespeaks courage. He
always Is deliberate In speaking, and
the casual observer Of his manner
might get the impression that his
heart is made of flint But among
officers Of the navy he is known as
the most mild-mannered and big,
hearted. He is popular with officers
high and low, and that Is a strong
Recommendation.
Mayo was the American who more
than any one else brought about the
downfall Of victoriano Huerta. Mayo's
devotion to the Stars and Stripes and
his true estimation of the respect due
the uniform OF q soldier or sailor fight
ing under that banner, his prompt de-
cision in cutting official red tape to
shreds when the honor Of the Amer
lean people. was at stake, caused his
lame to be flashed around the world.
The world echoed back, There's a
fighter for YOU" IL Is Ii j. !,
There Is not much show about
Mayo. He, Is just q plain and very
unassuming two-ffsted fighter; he Is
well, Just about the very type Of an
American that the country wants to
have az TIE head OF its sea fighters,
when the nation Is starting out. as
President Wilson said recently, TO
do things in this war that would 90.
tonish all mankind" Il il safe 70 say
that If the Germans start anything
with Mayo. they are going to know
they've been IN q scrap. despite any
thing Won Tirpitz has been doing to
the kaiser's navy or anything that
Krupp and Company have been put.
ting on those ships in the Kiel canal
In the way Of big guns.
There 10 nothing accidental about
Mayo's career. He began at fifteen
and he has been working every day
since. He fought his way to the top.
Mayo put Tampico on the map and
rave Huerta the start that ended final
" In that tyrant's death in an Amer.
lean jail, because he Ii strong on
action and not much on wire-pulling
or dilly-dallying, to use homely terms.
He impresses you that way at q first
meeting, and the more you study him
the stronger the impression becomes,
He does what he thinks Is right and
he does not waste time doing It
Once he has made up his mind that
there Is only one way to solve prob.
lem and he is satisfied he has the
right solution, he goes ahead. p
The world has moved 90 fast with
its battles and wars that the Tampicc
incident has faded somewhat from
memory. II does not take much to
recall It, however. There was not
much to IL except the supreme import
Stars and Stripes.
On April 9, 1914. the gasoline sup
ply of the gunboat Doiphin's launch
became exhausted in Tampico har
Dor. Mayo sent Assistant PaymasteI
Charles G. Copp with boatload oil
marines ashore for gasoline. The
Dolphin was President Cleveland's
yacht during his two terms in the
White House, and in the spring oil
1914 was one Of the vessels attached
TO the fleet of Vice Admiral Mayo In
Mexican waters. The Dolphin was
one Of the American vessels tina,
steamed close to Tampico when Am
erican property was threatened dur
ing the trouble between the federals
and the constitutionalists. The Am
erican flag was flying from Copp's
boat as the marines left for the Tam
pico waters. .4.... ,s
Copp and his men landed at Tam
pico and were arrested by Huerta's
federals. The moment that May,
heard that the keys of the jail hai
turned In locks on cells for Americas
sailors, he decided there was ont
thing to do. He did 1t. He demanded
the instant release Of the marines
that an apology be made to the United
states of America for the insult and
that the federal gunboat Zaragosa--
named in honor of the Mexican com
mander to whom Mayo sent his ultima
tum-fire a salute Of twenty-one guns