The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-05-05
Division of American Destroy
ers to Florida, Ready to go
to Mexican East
Coast.
SEVEN VESSELS SAIL
Proceed to Key West With All Pos.
sible Speed, Held in Readiness
for Any Likely
Trouble.

! UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-A diyl
sion Of destroyers has been ordered
to proceed to Key West, Fla, to Be
held in readiness for possible instruc
tions to go to the east coast o1
/ Mexico, Secretary Daniels announce
today. The destroyers were sched
uled to start this morning.
! The move is precautionary, it was
| learned, and is being taken with the
| idea that it may be necessary to use
!, the warcraft TO protect Americans
endangered by revolutionary develop
ments.
The ships composing the squadron
/ are the ISherwond, Case, Lardner'
Putnam, Beale, Reid, and the tender
+! BlacKhawk.
Captain 3. A. Long, sof the Black
/ hawk, who is senior officer of the
squadron, conferred last night with
! Daniels and Admiral Bullard, chief
of naval operations. He was told to
proceed to Key West with all pos
sible speed and hold the ships in
readiness for further orders.
State department officials today
sought to verify unofficial reports
here that Mexican federal generals
have given Carranza until May Is to
step out Of office.
lI these and other unofficial reports
prove true, Mexico soon will be in
the midst of even greater political
confusion than now, ofti Gals said.
CarranZa and the federal govern
ment forces arernow completely shut
off from communication with the out
side world except over one telegraph
line through Eagle Pass and Laredo,
reports here stated.
General Pablo Gonzales, until re-
Gently one OF Carranza's staunchest
supporters, has gone over to the
according to announce
ment by representatives OF the Obre-
gon movement Gonzales, according
to the assertion, is in command OF
two regiments of infantry a short
distance from Mexico City and has
severed the railroad to Vera Cruz.
This road is the only outlet Of the
Mexican capital to the sea on the
cast.
The impression given in other Off
cial circles today was that there was
no immediate prospects of the destroy
ers being sent to Mexican waters, as
reports indicated Americans along the
east coast were not in danger now.
A rumor that the Mexican federdls
wern using airplanes to bomb towns
celd by the rebels reached General
Alvarados headquarters here today.
[r was given out by Alvarado's spokes-
man who said however, that it vas
discredited and was prob
ably false. m
Leave This Afternoon.
NEW YORK, May 5.--The squadron
Of United States destroyers ordered
TO southern waters to protect Ameri-
cans in Mexico in case they are en-
iangered by revolutionary develop
left New York harbor at two
D. m today.
Captain B. A. Long of the Black
lawk was senior officer of the squad
ron and will act as its commander.
The Blackhawk was scheduled to sail
IN hour after the destroyers got un-
Ter way. %--s .a-f !
The destroyer squadron arrived here |
asst Saturday with the Atlantic fleet, !
which returned at that time from win
er maneuvers in Guantanamo bay.
Trouble at Torreon. /
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, May S.
of the disaffection OF |
rorreon, chief city Of the state of Goa !
luiIa, from the Carranza regime, was
contained in reports here today from
Suevo Laredo. .
General Cesaero Castro, command
II, was arrested by his troops when
he Carranza garrison revolted, the
eports said.
Drive on Mexico City.
Ell. PASO, Texas, May 5.--General
Alvaro Obregon is massing followers
Continued on page %