Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-13
BY ROBERT HAMMOND MURRAY.

L diums. Thus it befell Huerta.
Three ounces more of properly
geared brains in the skull of buf1e-
headed Mexican army lieutenant would
have STAYED off for period at least
the ultimate cave-in of the Huerta
government. The witless subaltern set
in stir train of events which rushed
forward in swift and destructive CO.
ordination to the elimination in the oc-
cupation by American Marines and
sailors Of the city of Vera Cruz on
April 81, 1914. The date was an ami
versary of the debarkation of CorteS,
the Conquistador, on the same spot in
1919.
1t was our taking of the port which
knocked away the last prop from
Huerta's sick government, and by the
physical and moral forces released by
the act inflexibly numbered his days
in the Palacio Nacional and broke his
hold upon Mexico. Eventually the Car
rancistas would have worsted him, but
President Wilson'S stroke at Vera Cruz
curtailed his tenure by many months
and resolved all dubiety as to the out
come.
Vera Cruz Incident Fluke.
Our taking of Vera Cruz, both the
| fact and the manner of its doing, was
a sheer fluke, prefaced with slight seri-
GUS generalization and with no notlon
that it would be accompanied by hgnt-
| ing and bloodshed and bring us within
| inches of the verge of long and costly
war with Mexico. Viewed from the
angle Of actually it was war.
American war vessels during the Win
ter of 1894 had been lodging in and
out of Mexican ports on their wash
| ington directed occasions OF maritime
watchful waiting. Admiral Fletcher,
with one battleship, sometimes Two,
| was lying in the roadstead on vera
cruz. Another admiral, Mayo, had
cruiser at Tampico. Both ports were
| in Huerta territory. Flying the Amerl-
can nag conspicuously a launch from
| the DOLPHIN on April 9 docked at
wharf in Tampico. The city was under
siege by the Carrancistas: ...,
Upon his own responsibility ana Will
out higher orders, an omclouS, Any,
lieutenant caused the arrest OF tne crew
of the launch and marched tnenl W
sailors was brief, for as quickly as the
commander of the Huerta garrison
heard what had happened he liberated
them with an apology. Mayo notlneo
the commander that, in addition TO the
auology. he should require a salute OF
81 guns to atone completely for the in
su,t which Mayo maintained he'd been
suffered by our flag. Mayos, position
NAV have been lily advised and teen.
nically untenable, but once ne nae
taken 1t and publicly announced IL
washington either had to back down or
support 1t. r
Salute Debated.
Protesting that no insult to the flag
had been designed or committed, the
Mexican commander replied that ne
could 20 no further than apologize,
which he had already done, without
communicating with the central gov
eminent in Mexico City. Huerta. after
a lengthy discussion and exchanges OF
notes with the American charge In the
capital, finally stood inalterable on
announcement that our flag would be
saluted providing he was assured that
return salute to the Mexican nag
should Immediately be given. gun alter
! mating with gun. This point was re-
sultlessly debated, but nothing came OF
1t save the ultimatum from Washing
ton In which Huerta was given until
pm. on April 10 to salute or take the
consequences. The nature Of the con-
sequences were not specified.
Later 1t developed that there was
peculiar and vital twist to the situa-
ton, engendered by the Tampico Incl
dent, for the American punctilio over
the salute for the time being masked
another consideration which did not re-
veal itself until later, and which ac-
counted for the infiexible attitude as
sumed by Washington.
When the United States barred arms
and ammunition to Huerta, the while
permitting the CarrancistaS to purchase
here anything they chose, Huerta re-
sorted for war supplies to the European
market, mainly in Germany. The De-
partment of State was unsuccessful in
its efforts to induce the Kaiser's gov
eminent to keep German arms out of
Huerta's hands. Germany had extended
full recognition to Huerta's govern
ment. Admiral Won Hintze, one of the
Kaiser'S closest personal friends. was
Minister In Mexico and deep in the
counsel of Huerta. With the eye OF
Wilhelmstrasse upon trade and hoped
for extension of German political and
commercial influence, If Huerta won
out, Germany was backing the dictator
and had no intention of handicapping
her own horse.
Sought to Exclude Arms.
Washington pressed the issue with
maximum energy and persistence when
information was reported to 1t that the
largest shipment of rifles. cartridges,
field artillery and shells which Huerta
had bought in Germany was about to
be cleared from Hamburg aboard the
merchantmen Ypiranga. The Kaiser's
government fatty refused to interfere
with the shipment. The Ypiranga
sailed for Vera Cruz, her holds crammed
| until TQn0nirn
flag incident broke she was on the high
seas.
Wilson suddenly resolved to prevent
the steamships cargo from reaching
Huerta, who was in sore straits for 1t. !
The blunder of the Huerta army lieu
tenant in arresting the DolphinS boat |
crew, coupled with Huertas recalci- f.
trance over the demanded salute, sup F.!
piled him with a passible. although at !
the time occult excuse for employing |
force to deprive Huerta of the ammuni- |
ton which his agents had pur-
chased In Germany. The surprise came |
to the world when the lightning struck !
at Vera Cruz instead of Tamipco.
Unwritten History.
From this point we draw upon I'M
written history to illumine some of the
hitherto never-made-clear circum-
stances which prefaced and accom-
panied the occupation of Vera Cruz by |
Admiral Fletcher and to disclose the |
causes for the bloody fighting which |
became necessary before the accom- |
plishment of the subjugation of a gar
risoned city which Washington believed |
would submit passively.
Wilson was astounded and poignant
ly distressed almost to the point of |
prostration. on the night Of April 81 |
when he was told that after an all-day |
resistance, which had cost the lives of
more than a score of Americans and /
many more Mexicans, the city was not |
yet in our power. He had reason, for /
he had been unreservedly, but erron-
eously, assured that Vera Cruz could