Coweta Times. (Coweta, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1914 Page: 2 of 8
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COW E T A O K L A TXKS S
ADMIRAL BADGER AND HIS -FLAGSHIP
THE COMMANDER - IN - CHIEF AND HIS ADMIRAL
IIP PBES IKON
HOUSE BY AN ALMOST UNANI-
I MOU8 VOTE AUTHORIZES
Uff OF ARMY AND NAVY
BEADS MESSAGE TO BOTH HOUSES
Detailing Offenses of the Huerta D
Facto Govornmcnt Against ths
Honor and Dignity of tho
U 8 Government -
‘ ' s '
-‘I
HUERTA REFUSES TD
SALUTE OLD GLORY
LAST HOUR OF GRACE EXPIRES AND PRES WILSON
ASKS GONERESS FOR AUTHORITY TO MAKE AN
ARMED INVASION AND PUNISH DEFI-
ANCE OF AMERICAN EDICTS '
Washington — General Huerta pro-
visional president of Mexico flatly
refused to (accede to the uncondi-
tional demands of the United States
that he salute the American flag and
congress ' was ashed by President
Wilson for authority to use armed
forces to uphold the honor and dig-
nity of the nation
Negotiations with Huerta over the
demand for a salute in reparation for
the arrest of American bluejackets
at Tampico on April 10 came to a
close Sunday night at 6 o’clock the
last hour given by President Wilson
for a favorable response from the
Mexican dictator The final word of
Huerta to Charge O’Shaughnessy was
a refusal to comply unless the United
States would guarantee in writing
that his salute would be returned
nl the meantime American wav
fleets were moving down both coasts
Provisional President Huerta
on their way to Mexican waters to
carry out the president’s plan for re-
prisals The crisis thus’ reached does not
mean that there will be a formal de-
claration of war because the United
States could not declare war against
a government which it does not recog-
nize President Wilson seeks auth-
ority however to send armed forces
into Mexico to seize first the ports of
Tampico and Vera Cruz and the rail-
road leading from Vera Cruz toward
Mexico City
The breach that finally has come
with Mexico will make It impossible
It was declared on high authority for
the United States to further protect
foreigners in that republic and for-
eign governments have been notified
of the situation in this regard
The president not only asked con-
gress for authority to use armed
' forces to uphold the honor of the na-
tion but also for an appropriation a
deficiency already having been cre-
ated because of the expensive naval
operation in anticipation of Huerta's
defiance of this government
The president asked further that
the senate pass the volunteer' act
Which already has passed the house
providing for pressing into regular
service the militia In various states
THE WAR CHIEFS PLAR CAMPAIGN
General Wood May Go To Texaa To
v Take Command of Land Forces
1 Waahlngton — Secretary Garrison and
Secretary Daniels and Assistant As-
sistant Breckenrldge of the war de-
partment conferred over plana for oo-
operation between land - and naval
'forees Later Secretary Garrison bad
a long talk over the' telephone with
General Wood chief -of staff of tls
army
Bryan’e Statement
Secretary Bryan issued this state-
ment: j --a
“A little after 11 o’clock last night
a brief dispatch came from Charge
O’Shaughnessy at Mexico City Baying
that the president’s demand had been
communicated to the foreign minister
and was being carried by him to Pres-
ident Huerta The foreign minister
asked O’Shaughnessy whether in case
General Huerta acceded to the de-
mand a protocol would be signed pro-
viding for a return of the salute
“The following dispatch was sent
to O’Shaughnessy in substance:
“ ‘President Wilson would not con-
sent to have you sign the protocol
mentioned in your telegram The sa-
lute should be fired without any agree-
ment as to its return The United
States of America can be relied on
according to international custom and
courtesy to do its duty The signing
of the protocol could be objectionable
in addition to other reasons because
of the fact that it might be consid-
ered as recognition of the Huerta gov-
ernment whereas the president has
no lntentton of recognizing that gov-
ernment’ ”
“At 10 o’clock a telegram was re-
ceived from Charge O’Shaughnessy
conveying General Huerta's final re-
fusal Strategists Discuss Plans
Scenes about the state and navy
departments during the day were rem-
inicent of the days immediately pre-
ceding the Spanish-American war
Generally the Mexican plan covers
elementary problems sifch as the si-
multaneously establishment of an effi-
cient blockade which the rather ex-
tensive coast line of Mexico W'ould
make no small task Next in order
comes the seizure of certain ports
and this is where the painstaking and
exhaustive details of the marine reg
iments last fall and winter are ex-
pected to find their application The
whole modern theory of advance base
operations with the marines as an ac-
tive force was planned to meet just
such emergencies as the rapid seizure
of a portion of hostile country to form
a base to be held for the arrival of
an army of occupation
About the only other feature of na-
val activity in the beginning of hos-
tile operations at least would be the
dispatch by land of an expeditionary
force to hold Important strategic
points such as the great trestle on
the Vera Cruz-Mexico City railroad
supposed to be the key to possssion
of that road And with the 15000
or more men in his fleet Admiral
Badger could spare a force ample for
that purpose
Orders -were sent to the battleship
Mississippi and the torpedo corps and
600 marines and the torpedo flotilla
at Pensacola Fla to get under way
Immediately joining Adftlral Badger’
fleet as it entered the Gulf of Mexico
and proceeding with the fleet to Tam-
pico The torpedo flotilla consists ol
twnety-two destroyers the tender
Dixie and the scout cruiser Birming-
ham REBELS TO RENEW THE ASSAULT
American May Encounter Friends In-
stead of Enemies at Tampico
Juarez-— Orders ' for an Immediate
renewal of the rebel attack on Tam-
pico with the purpose of capturing the
town at the earliest possible moment
were Issued The desirability of epeed
has given rise to rumors that when
the American - warships start to an-
force ‘ President Wilson's orders they
will find not fedsrnls bnt friendly nb
sis In possession
Washington — After a spirited de-
bate of more than two hours the
house passed the administration res-
olution approving President Wilson's
purpose to use the armed forces of
the nation to obtain from General
Huerta the fullest recognition of the
honor and dignity of the United
States
The vote was 337 to 37 The reso-
lution was passed and wes sent to
the senate Almost immediately it
was referred to the senate foreign
relations committee and the Commit-
tee agreed to report the resolution
with the preamble to read: “In view
of the situation presented by the
president” and eliminating individual
reference to Huerta throughout the
measure Thus it passed the senate
Those who voted against the res-
olution in the house were:
Democrats — George Kindel Sisson
Stephens (Miss) and Witherspoon — 5
Republicans — Ainey Anderson An-
thony Bartuoldt Britten Butler
Campbell Davis Fordney French
Gardner Gillett Good Hayes Howell
Johnson (Utah) Johnson (Wash)
Kahn Langham Lafollette Madden
Mann Mondell Platt Sells Steener-
son Stephens (Minn) Volsted and
Woods — 29
Progressives — Bell (Calif) and
Temple — 2
Independent — Kent — 1
In an atmosphere of suppressed ex-
citement reflecting grave tension and
patriotic fervor the president of the
United States asked congress in per-
son for approval of his purpose to use
the army and navy to force General
Huerta to apologize for indignities
offered to the American government
New Orders for Forces
While congress deliberated and Ma-
jorit Leader Underwood urged prompt
action so if American forces were
fired on they would be free to act the
executive branch of the government
Issued orders to the army and navy
with systematic regularity
The army was cautioned to be on
the alert and active preparations to
use the militia as volunteer forces In
case of further emergency were be-
gun Tbe war ships of the navy were
ordered to concentrate on Tampico’
and Vera Cruz as their objective
Plans were made to seize these portf
American merchant vessels were or-
dered out of Mexican harbors and
there was a long session of the joint
board of the army and navy partici-
pated in by Admiral Dewey Major
General Woo'd and Major General
Wotherspoon after which it was an-
nounced that the army a"hd navy were
prepared for instant action
Blockade Planned
Measures “short of war” are
planned by the president such as the
seizure of the customs houses the
occupation of coast towns the taking
of Mexican warships and a blockade
of Mexico's commerce with the United
States When the president laid the
situation before the cabinet in a two-
hour session Counselor Lansing of
the state department sat at the table
telling in detail of the precedent upon
which the administration’s action it
now has been decided will be based
It happened in 1854 when the cap-
tain of an American war vessel was
ordered by President Pierce to Blue-
fields Nicaragua to secure reparation
for insults to the American minister
The town was held by rebel'll who had
not been recognized by the United
States It was bbmbarded by the
American ships three times and final-
ly the American officer went ashore
with his men and burned the town
No lives were lost
Not Seeking More Territory
Mr Wilson realizes that any action
which the United States might take
might be construed by Huerta as a
military operation sufficient to pro-
voke war but in everything said he
emphasized that it was not the part
of a powerful nation such as the
United States to declare war on a
weaker neighbor especially on a sim-
ilar portion of a country already torn
by civil strife
Tbe president’s message indlacted
clearly that should war result the
United States would not seek to add
to Its territorial confines
Rebel Chiefs Meet After Four Years
Chihuahua — With many fateful
questions dealing with the revolution
and foreign affaire before them Gen-
eral Carranza and General Francisco
Villa met formally here It was their
first meeting in four years Carranza
first having met tho military leader
when fresh from outlawry he was a
leader of one of the Francisco I Ma
dero’s revolutionary bands The meet-
ing had every appearance of friendli-
ness and Villa mads a point of re-
ferring to Carranaa as bis chief
ifllbuiniTki i i iL
Rear Admiral Charles J Badger In command of the Atlantic fleet ordered to Taiqplco to enforce the president’s
lemsnd of a salute to the flag by Huerta forces there The battleship Arkansas is ’the admiral’s flagship
ATLANTIC FLEET ON THE WAY TO TAMPICO
Here are some of the mighty battleships of the Atlantic fleet steaming at
Badger the commander has orders to bombard that port seize it or take any
necessary
TAMPICO CUSTOM HOUSE AND
View of the custom house at Tampico and of the docks Rear Admiral Badger was given orders to seize this
custom house If he thought It advisable- It is the shipping point for most of the Mexican olL
AMERICAN TROOPS ARRIVE AT THE BORDER
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sis?!
la ease it should be necessary to
atnr wars bnrrlsd to ths Una A i
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establish a blockade along the Mexican border ths troops In that part of S’
sgtmsnt is bars sssa dstralnlng near Larsd Tax
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full speed for Tampico Rear Admiral
other measures which he may deem
DOCKS
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Leftwich, Mark A. Coweta Times. (Coweta, Okla.), Vol. 9, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 23, 1914, newspaper, April 23, 1914; Coweta, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1744084/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.