PREDATORY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 118, 20 May 1914, Page 7

PREDATORY

GENERAL VILLA'S FOLLOWERS UNHAPPY TIME FOR FOREIGNERS BLACKMAILING CONSTITUTIONALISTS. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright-) (TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICRS.) (Received May 20, 8.30 a.m.) MEXICO CITY, 19th May. General Villa'B followers are engaged in extensive predatory operations against foreigners owning property. At Tampico, the constitutionalist* immediately upon taking possession, began blustering and blackmailing business men. General Gonzales demanded a huge sum from the Tampico Chamber of Commerce. It was paid under threats of violence. The Dutch warships have been, ordered to leave the river. They are powerless, owing to the departure of tho Dutch Minister. The authorities at Washington have telegraphed an urgent demand to Generals Carranza and Gonzales that the constitutionalists must behave. The constitutionalists are arranging to sell millions of dollars' worth of cotton, stolen from the Spaniards^ The British Minister has reported that the constitutionalists are executing all Federal officers wholesale. Looting is feared if Villa enters Mexico City. HUERTA'S RESIGNATION SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS. REPORTED BIG DEMANDS. (Received May 20, 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, 19th May. It is understood that General Huerta makes it a condition of his retirement* from the Presidency of Mexico that he shall have some voice in naming his successor, a loan of jSBO,OOO,OpO from tho United States, and a ninety-nine years' lease of Magdalena Bay for naval target ' practice at a rental of £200,000 yearly. The State Department officials hero have not been informed of any such demands, but it is believed that Huerta has so instructed Peace Conference delegates. STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE CAPITAL ARCHBISHOP FORCED TO LEAVE. RUMOURS OF PENDING REVOLT. (Received May 20, 11.5 a.m.) VERA CRUZ, 19th May. Huerta forced Archbishop Mera y del Tio to leave Mexico City because the Archbishop brought pressure to compel Huerta to resign. Rumours of a pending revolt in Mexico City continue, t but their verifies* tion or otherwise is impossible at* present. U.S. TROOPS ' TO REMAIN AT VERA CRUZ. DUKE OF CONNAUGHT AND THE PEACE CONFERENCE. WASHINGTON, 18th May. The United States Government has decided to keep the troops at Vera Cruz until the Peace Conference results havo been definitely reached. The mediators have already arranged their plans for dealing with Mexican agrarian problems. Senor Dagma, the Brazilian Ambassador, has arrivedl at Niagara Falls. H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught (Governor-General of Canada) sent liis greetings to tho conference, and hoped that the efforts of the envoys would result in a lasting peace. The Telegraph Office advises t —The Mexican Telegraph > Company advises that messages in plain English may now be accepted for Belize, British Honduras, subject to strict censorship ; code prohibited.