Ordered to Mexico.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 86, 11 December 1913, Page 5

Ordered to Mexico.

TWO BRITISH CRUISERS.

REPORTED REBEL MOVEMENT. , r BT Electric Telegraph—Copyrigut] [United Press Association, i (Received 10.10 a.m.) Kingston (.Jamaica), Dec. LO. The British cruisers Lancaster and Hermione have been ordered to proceed at full speed to Mexican ports. I lie Suffolk and Berwick are already cruising in Mexican waters. It is reported that an overwhelming force of rebels is about to attack Tampico, where there are many foreigners. It is not known if the despatch of the warships is connected therewith.

HUERTA'S POSITION.

Mexico City, December 10. Congress has nullified the presidential election and fixed the new elections for July. The Congress gave as a reason for nullifying tiie election that less than one quarter of the electors throughout Mexico had voted. It is understood that the postponement of the new elections is due to Huerta's suggestion. It is likely that Huerta will now continue his present attitude towards the United States, based on the contenion that he is the only possible governor in Mexico pending the new presidential election.

"The hostile attitude assumed by the AVashington Cabinet is as indefensible upon the grounds of commonsense as it is objectionable upon those of international courtesy." That is the opinion of Mr Percy Martin, F.R.G.S., the well-known traveller and writer upon Latin-America, who describes in the October Fortnightly the present situation in Mexico, and declares emphatically that intervention by the United States would be a fM-rible tragic blunder, and one by which the foreigners in Mexico would inevitably lie sacrificed without the least restraint, because of the withdrawal of all Government protection. Mr Martin expresses the opinion that not even 500,000 American troops, operating for a decade, or even two decades, against the Mexican population of 15,000,000 resistant people,dispersed over a territory of w 60,000 square miles, could accomplish "iany useful. purpose, He denounces the hot-headed and ignorant politicians, led by Senator Bacon, chairman' of the Senate Committee on Foreign Reunions, who are doing their. best,-to drive President Wilson into a disastipiifl way with Mexico. MriMartin nivdicts that- distracted, Mexico would drop all internal factions to combine against the invader. He admits that a: present the condition of the country because of-the-lost list of hungry office-seekers, all anxious for the Presidentship, or at least some appointment near ir. He gives a list of the office-seekers, with brief biographical notes on each. He (joes on to show that the land question is at the root -of the unrest. The vast tracts of land which are held by a fc>v individuals must He broken tin and settled with the hard-working agricultural population of Mexico before any permanent peace can be looked for in the. country. President Diaz v\as engaged- on this very task when tin l revolution broke out that caused his downfall. Mr Martin advocates recognition of Huerta's Government, on the ground that it is the only one existing, and far better than none at all.