Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-24
BY JOSEPH p. TUMULTY
CHAPTER XIX
(Cnra tina110dA

~ ing of the tWenty-flrst day Oh
a n April, 1914, the telephone op-
orator at the White House called me
at my home land rousing me from
bed informed me that the secretary
of state, Mr.. Bryan, desired to speak
to me at once upon a very urgent
and serious matter. I went to the
telephone and was informed by Mr.
BRYAN that he had just received a
wireless from Admiral Mayo, INFORM
ing him that the German steamshiP
Ypirango, carrying munitions, ,Woulu
arrive at Vera Cruz that mornlns
about 10 o'clock, and that he thoughI
the president ought to be notl1leu
and that, in his opinion, drast!c inca
sures should at once be taken "
prevent the delivery of these mum
tons to the customs house at vera
Cruz. While Bryan Spd L were talk.
ing, Mr.. Daniels, the secretary VI
the navy, got on the wire ana COZ
firned all that Mr.. Bryan had just
told me. Soon the president was
on the phone, and, in a voice, lnoi,
eating that he had just peen arouse Sc
from his sleep, carried on the lol-
lowing conversation with Messrs.
Bryan, Daniels and myself: Mr..
IEydu IGpOIleu " Kill liIS
ton at Vera Cruz and informed him
of the receipt of Admiral Mayo's
dispatch, in these words, "Mr. Pres
ident, I am sorry to inform you that
/ have just received a despatch from
Admiral Mayo that German ship
will arrive at Vera Cruz this morn
ing at 10 o'clock, containing large
supplies Of munitions and arms for
the MeXicans, and want your judg-
ment as to how we shall handle the
situation" Replying to Mr.. Bryan,
the president said: "Of course, Mr..
Bryan, you understand what drastic
action in this matter might ulti-
mately mean in our relations with
Mexico?" Mr.. Bryan said, by way
of reply: ST thoroughly appreciate
this, Mr.. President, and fully con-
sidered it before telephoning you"
For a second there was slight
pause, and then the president asked
Mr.. Daniels his opinion in regard
to the matter. Mr.. Daniels frankly
agreed with Mr.. Bryan that inn
mediate action should be taken to
prevent the German ship from land
ing it's cargo. Without moments
delay the president said to Mr.. Dan
iels, daniels, send this message
to Admiral Mayo: Take Vera Cruz
at once"
No Longer Pacifists
AS I sat at the phone on this
fateful morning, away from the hur-
ly-burly world outside, clad only in
my pajamas, and listened to this
discussion, the tenseness of the
whole situation and it's grave posi-
bilities of war with all it's tragedy
gripped me. Here were three men,
quietly gathered about phone, pac-
! fists at heart, men who had been
criticized and lampooned throughout
the whole country as being TOO
proud to fight, now without heslta-
ton of any kind agreeing on
course of action that might result
in bringing two nations to war. They
were pacifists no longer, but plain,
simple men, bent upon discharg1ng
the duty they owed their country
and utterly disregarding their own
personal feelings Of antagonlsm to
every phase of war.
After Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Daniels
had left the telephone. the president
said: "Tumulty, are you there?
What did you think Of my mes
sage?" I replied that there was moth
ing else to do under the circum-
stances. He then said: at is too
bad, isn't it? But we could not al
low that cargo to land. The Mex
leans intend using these guns upon
our own boys. I have tried to keep
out of this Mexican mess, but we
are now on the brink of war and
there is no alternative"
Discussing this vital matter that
morning with the commandment.
chief of the army and navy, I could
visualize the possible tragedy of the
whole affair. I pictured the flagship
of Admiral Mayo, with it's fine cargo
of sturdy young marines, riding Sc
renely at anchor off Vera Cruz, and
those aboard the vessel utterly un-
mindful of the message that was
now on it's way through the air, an
ominous message which to some OF
them would be a portent OF death.
When the president concluded his
conversation with me his voice was
husky. 1t indicated to me that he
felt the solemnity of the whole deli
cate business he was now handling,
while the people of America, whose
spokesman he was, were at this hour
quietly sleeping in their beds, un'
aware and unmindful of the grave
import of this message which was al
ready on it's way to Vera Cruz.
When I arrived at the White
House the next morning I found the
newspaper correspondents attached
to the executive offices uninformed
of what had happened in the early
morning, but when 1 notified them
that the president had ordered Ad-
miral Mayo, at 2:30 o'clock in the
morning, to take Vera Cruz, they
Jumped, as one man, to the door, to
flash this significant news to the
country and the world.
Enter CarranZa
With Huerta's abdication, Venus
tiano CarranZa took hold, but the
Mexican troubles were not at an end.
The constant raiding expeditions OF
Villa across the American border
were a source of great irritation.
While Villa stood with Carranza as
a companion in arms to depose Huer-
ia, the "entente cordiale" was at an
end as soon as Huerta passed or the
stage. With these expeditions or
Villa across the border, our relations
with our neighbor to the south were
again seriously threatened. With
Villa carrying on his raids and Car
rama always misunderstanding the
purpose and attitude Of our govern
ment and spurning it's offer Of help
full cooperation, difficulties Of vari-
Gus sorts arose with each day, un-
til popular opinion became insistent
in it's demand for vigorous action on
the part of the American president.
Every ounce Of reserve patience of
the president was called into action
to keep the situation steady. How
to do it, with many incidents hap
pening each day to intensity and
aggravate an already acute situa-
ton, was the problem that met the
president at every turn. At this
time the president was the loneliest
figure in Washington.
Grotesuue uncertain shapes infest