BOMBSHELL FROM CARRANZA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2131, 24 April 1914, Page 7

BOMBSHELL FROM CARRANZA.

ASSERTS ms/MANA in MExico;:yii;

PREPARED TO DEFEND HIS

NATION.

AMERICAN CABINET

SUMMONED.

VERA CRUZ BOMBARDED.

By TcUffraph—Prow Ateociation-CopyrhtWi

n . Vera G-fuz, April 22. Owing to the continuance- of Mexican rifle fire from tho housetops* tho American warships .bombarded the southern section or tho city with heavy guns. Uarly in tho morning tho bombardment was very brief, but effective. . Many of tho buildings are in ruins. Desultory fighting continues, Largo reinforcements wore landed from tho American warships.' There aro many bodies lying m the Streets of tho city, which was in darkness throughout the night, tho power supply failing. Rear-Admiral Fletcher has issued a proclamation confirming tho Mexican nivil authorities in tho exereii© of their authority, and asking for their co-aper* ation to restore order. Patrols of bluejackets havo been established throughout the streets. No non-combatants we*o injured dar ing the bombardment,- which destroyed numbers of buildings along- tho waterfront, where Mexican sharpshooters were congregated,

ORDER RESTORED. (Roc. April 23, 9.40 p.m.) _. ' ~ Vera Cruz, April 22. Iranauillity has been restored. Eight of tbo American marines are dead. The paymaster of the British cruiser Essex was injured by a bullet. •NAVAL FORCES IN MEXICAN WATERS, "rimes" and Sydney "Stm." Serviced, ■ Washington, April 22. The Naval Department gives the total of Iho United State force approaching Mexican waters ns fiftv-two ships and 2L',770 men. There will bo thirty-six ships eft Iho cast coast and sixteen,on tho west. Four thousand marines will soon be ready for immed-r. ate lauding. Arrangements aro now completed far tho mobilisation of 250,000 men of the National Guard.

FEARS FOR AMERICANS INLAND. Washington, April 22. Grave fears are oppressed that Americans aro likely to suffer at the hands of Mexicans at oil camps m the interior. Tho Topila oil companies are directing their employees to return to Tampico.

WHY VERA CRUZ WAS "RUSHED." HUERTA'S NEW WAR MATERIAL INTERCEPTED. London, April 22. Ihoro is much comment in Washington, over tho President dramatically forestalling Congress while tho Sena to was wranging regarding the terms of tho resolution. Dr. Wilson's notion was intended to prevent Huerta receiving German consignments of artillery and several million rounds of ammunition. Hucrta had intended to entrain the ammunition speedily for Mexico City and destroy the railway behind. "Times" and Sydney "Sun" Scttlccs.. (Rec. April §3, .5.30 p.m.) • London, April 22. it 13 reported that two hundred cannons and a quantity of ammunition were intended by Huertfc to have been landed at Vera Cruz, and this was tho reason for tho prompt seizure of the Customhouse. GERMAN SHIPMENT SENT BMJK AGAIN. . Washington, April 23. Uy arrangement with tho German Ambassador, a German steamer bringing ammunition and guns to Mexico will return safely to Germany, and restore tho cargo to tho owners, despite the tact that tho Huertana paid for it.

ENTER CAfWANZAf

A BOMBSHELL FOR PRESIDENT WILSON. WILL DEFEND HIS NATION. (Reo. April 23, 9.58 p.m.) Mexico CHy, April 22. General Carranza, leader of the- Constitutionalists, declares that Huerta cannot fight, or givo any reparation to tho Lmted States,- as he is merely a usurper. ■ j ■ Carranza invites President Wilson to withdraw his forces and apply instead to him for reparation. PBESIDBNTSUMMOKS THE CABINET. ffiec. April 23, 10.10 p.m.) Washington, April 22. Larrariza's demand to bo coitsidei-ea as the head of the Mexican Republic proved to bo a bombshell for the President, who immediately called a Cabinet meeting to discuss tho situation. General Withcrspoon, who svas cently appointed Chief of tho tlcncrai vStafF of tho Army, was called in for consultation. It is believed that the quostiou of mobilising the army was considered. Tho State Department believes that Carranza s protest means war, as tlio tono of his letter indicates" that, the Constitutionalists regards American action at Vera Cruz as directed against tho Mexican nation.

HUERTA CABLES TO LONDON. London, April 22. Hucrto has cabled to tho Mosican Minister hero: "We are fighting against an attempt to disembark American marines. Inform tho British Government."

DIPLOMACY ENDS. UNITED STATES CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO LEAVE MEXICO. Washington* April 22, Huerta has broken tiff diplomatic relations with tho United States, and I'residont Wilson has ordered Mr. O'Shatighnossy (United Sfatoa Charge d'Affaires) to withdraw from Mexico City. (Ree. April 23, 10.50 p.m.) Washington, April 22. President Wilson has derided, not to withdraw the United States Chars© d'Affaires from Mexico until the fast possiblo moment. Ho does not intend to bombard or capture Tampico for the present.

bebh'Jlianded hisVpass(>oits bj Uurrta amijipproparing.to .Jiau the L u SCMATE. R VITFI n; lv€,SJ|fl#l?:Wasiilngtoii,"April 2'l ■ .ratified she ■ President s action .with /regard to Mexico, i ,%-.'!Tiaes". and/ Bj-da<;y.i"guii" Service*, .■■-■> £ During the."debate ".. in. ■ tho Senate, Ssonator Root said that if a salute were .nil that stood between tho'■ United statessand Mljsoor,i distracted Mexico,' - tho ■ occasion was painfully ■ inadequate tor- the; Americans'-, dead.' "Is the ■form of tlio coremony of tin's salute, te justify tho sacrifice of American lives? "o-nro -invoking, a war, ■ How long it will .'continue, jiobody knows." _ Other .'.Senators : ;criticised President Wilson, charging -him...with, rushing the country; into war. ■■■-■ '?-'',■: -.■-.,- PRICES JUMP. :i '; r .,- ■>""-: Chicago,; April 22. ■ Wheat prices"-jumped on the anlipußccmeut of. hostilities, and simulation is active-v . .. ■ :.:.. '.'New YorK, April 22. otocks'-ard steady hero. WHY AMERICA DISLIKES HUERTA. ''..:.:■ a deckionlSut RUFFLED ■ DIPLOMACY. In explanation of President Wilson's attitude towards General Huerta. tho bpnngfiold (Ind.), obw'rved: ims Administration's Mexican policv in Us besinßiaes was undoubtedly skpr'd ia no stent dejrreo by the circumstances attending the rise of General Hnerta to power. The Staieemnt of ibis general potior towards Latin .America, published fir President Wilson within a fortnight alter he assumed office, reflected his al> horrcneo pf tho tripi'o assassinations—of Iranclfco M&xtero, Gustavo Uadero, find Pino guana, the highest officials in the Madera (so'7«Kißeiit-»-whicJi ciinsti'tuted tho first arts of tho Huerta regime. It was clearly intimated at that time that President Wilson would not gire Mi recognition ■ to a government founded on violence, unless it were clearly establish, cd that ihc military dictatorship had become in on© way or another, the real choice of the Mexican people. Nothing has happened since February to demon, strate that, ham the President's point of view, Huerta should ho recognised as the constitutional President of Mexico. For civil war has continued, and, whiio the Huerta Govern went, has undoubtedly had the support of the conservative and wealthy elassss, its chief claim te respect has been basal mainly on its' possibilities in the pacification of the country by iron-handed methods of military repression. "Still deeper, doubtless, in tha- President's mind has been the. thought that General Huerta has ptesd for absolutist reflation, as against all the d&ntocr'aticasprratioas which were embodied in the Modero revolution, but which President Madero hliiwel? was very far from realising in his brief term of power."

BRITAIN'S RECOGNITION OF HUERTA. The London "Times" presented • the British aspect of the caso in the following terms;— The President thinks, we are told, ami the people think with him, that they are under a moral obligation'to vindicate principles of .representative and constitutional government, which they contend-that tho recognition of General Huerta would violate. .They believe it would make for the tranquillity and the better government of the. new hemisphere,, were it clearly understood, not only in Mexico-, but in other Central and Seuth American Bspubii-cs, that a successful adventurer is not sure of recognition.; and they are ready, we are assured, to vindicate theso prikcipies, if necessary,, by force. President Wilson holds it to bo indispensable that tho President of Mexieo hhail be .elected by secret ballot, organised with duo guarantees of'electoral liberty, and that lio shall command the confidenea of. a reasonable proportion of .tho «iertorato. It is acknowledged that these principles may appear "idealistic and unpractical" to some European eye?, but they are firmly and sincerely entertained, and the Administration and the people, it is stated, ;aro prepared - to- net upon them. We, on the other hand, have looked npsn tho Mexican troubles throughout fremi our traditional standpoint. As the Prime Minister said, we th'irij it no part ©f out rwht or dmly to attempt to prevent revolutions beyond the Atlantic, or to endeavour to stop civil war, at any: rate by anything resembling intervention. Acting on.our traditions, we acknowledged General Huorta as President ad interim on Mnreh 31 of this year, We acknowledged him because we felt bound to deal with tho dc facfo GoverMaeai, which seemed to 'U3 to bo the only element in the country that held out a prospect of the restoration of stability and order. That, 0,8 Mr. Asnnith remarks, is what we should have done in the case of any Central or South American .State. We had "neither the will nor the power to ivrtervesje." We followed our customary policy in like eases, and we had not- at the -time any reason to. suppose that it would bo distasteful to our American friends. Tlio present Govern meat of the United States had been in office but a few weeks when wo took tho step. They had not then made, or mm had any op. porkunity <jf maktajr, a deciaratioa of poliey oa Mftaican a-ffairs.