Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1914 — UNITED STATES MARINES NOW OCCUPY VERA CRUZ [ARTICLE]

UNITED STATES MARINES NOW OCCUPY VERA CRUZ

Lost Six and Have a Number Wounded as They Complete Occupation of City on Mexican Coast

Carranza Northern Menace Replies to Note from Bryan Indicating That Mexican Rebels WiU - Oppose the Occupation of Any Portion of Their Country By XT. S. Troops—New Crisis Confronts the Country By Rebel Threat—Presi* dent Wilson Reported Bowed in Oriel Because Marines Wore Sacrificed in Carrying Our Orders to Siese Customs Port —Every Hour Adds to the Apparent Certainty That We Are On Verge of a War That Will Mean a Big Task.

BULLETIN.

Washington, April 23.—Nelson O’Shaughnessy, American charge at Mexico City, has been handed his passports by Huerta and is preparing to leave Mexico. Charge O’Shaughnessy telegraphed the state department under date of Wednesday night as follows: "Having been given my passports, I am leaving tomorrow night or Friday morning.” The message was given out at 3:20 a. m. Huerta’s handing of passports to Charge O’Shaughnessy was regarded as a most sensational development in the situation as it was believed to forecast a declaration of war on the part of Huerta. The giving of passports to a minister of charge d’affaires in most cases, although not invariably, has preceded a declaration of war. San Francisco, April 22.—Governor Hiram W. Johnson ordered 3 militia companies from San Diego to go to the Mexican border tonight. The order followed appeals from San Diego and border towns, and a statement from Major W. C. Davis, commanding the border patrol that the Federal troops there were inadequate for full protection.

The most serious late development in the war crisis is the attitude of Victortana Carranza, head of the constitutionalist government, who (replied to a brief note from Secretory Bryan, denying the right of the United States to invest Vera Cruz or any other Mexican territory, demanding withdrawal and indicatttng that the rebels will join with Huerta and consider the U. S. a common enemy. When the Carranza reply was received in Washington Wednesday night it precipitated the greatest excitement that has followed the refusal of Huerta to fir© the salute to the American flag. The cabinet held a meeting and Major General Wotherspoon, •chief of staff of the army, was present and later sent a number of dispatches in the way of assuring a high state of preparedness on the part of the army. President Wilson had retired exhausted after the events of the day. hut conferred with the cabinet officers over the telephone. The President is reported to have been very much downcast because American blood was shed at Vera Cruz and to have walked through the white house to his executive office with bowed head, and to have expressed much regret There was some fighting at Vera Cruz Wednesday, as the marines, after the arrival of Rear Admiral Badger with the Atlantic squadron, took entire possession of the city. Snipers, from the roots of buildings, continued to fire on the marines and twelve have been killed and about fifty wounded. The

number of Mexicans who have been killed is not known officially, but the estimate of 200 probably was moret than fell in the first day’s fightkxg. Tthe occupation of Vera Cruz is complete and it is probable that the zone of occupation will be extended to fifteen miles beyond the city if the aggressiveness of Huerta continues. The heaviest firing from the Mexicans came from the naval college, and to silence the firing at that point the 'guns of the Chester and Prairie were brought into play and finally the walls of the college were shattered. The paymaster of the British cruiser, Essex, Was wounded- on bolard his Ship by a stray shot from a Mexican sniper. The British blue jackets crowded to the bowis and cheered the Americans as they paoceeded to land. Flags on the Essex and Fortress, English vessels, were half masted when the dead marines' , were taken on board ship. It is thought possible that the withdrawal of Charge. O’Shaughnessy from Mexico City will be followed by a formal declaration of War by Huerta and that this will compel the United States to adopt a similar measure. Estimates have been made upon a oomserviative basis that it will require 300,000 infantry troofis to accomplish the defeat of Mexico, in the event of a coalition of the federal and constitutional forces, and in case there is no interference by other countries. Japan constitutes the greatest menace of the foreign nations. There is a strong spirit of hatred toward America there, owing to the anti-alien land low passed by the legislature of California. It has long'been a possibility which our diplomats have carefully guarded that we might have trouble with Japan and for some time following the complication because of the Galifomit law, a number of Japanese newspapers openly advocated hostilities, but the stable leaders of that Country held them down and recently there has been a better feeling in evidence. A dispatch from Germany, however, indicates that Japan is aching to get into a fight. This seems very remote, but should it ensue the United States would be in for fche ( ,most serious conflict of all history. It requires about four or five hours for the report of proceedings at Vera Cruz to reach Washington and therefore our people are in ignorance of occurrences until some time after they take place. The people of the United States are almost unanimously behind President Wilson in his program, differing only in respect to some details. His great anxiety to prevent a war was shared by all the people, hut many question how he will be able to occupy Mexican territory as a hostile step against Huerta without offending the entire nation, a considerable part of which was satisfied to have Huerta as the defaebo head of the government. Others believed that if a hostile step was to be taken that the cause tor it should recite not a specific incident but the accumulation of the many things that have incensed our country for a long time. But these are minor differences and it is certain our people would firmly stand behind the President in the present crisis. There is a growing probability that militia organizations will be called into service, although there has up to this time been no word received by the military authorities of the states.