TURBULENT MEXICO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 254, 25 March 1914, Page 7

TURBULENT MEXICO.

SHIPMENT OF ABMS. EMBARGO REMOVED. San Francisco, February 15. A speedy even though a bloody end to the .Mexican civil war is the hope expressed as to what will result from President Wilson's action in lifting the embargo' on the shipment of arms from this country to- the neighbouring' republic. A year ago President Taft imposed the embargo and it was the belief of the American Government at that time that it would so restrict and hamper military operations that the fire of revolution would quickly burn itself out. | : No such result followed. In an official White House statement President Wilson, in speaking of the embargo, says: —"There is now no constitutional government in Mexico, and the existence of this order hinders and' delays the very thing the Government of the United .States is now insisting upon—namely, that Mexico shall be left free to settle her own affairs, as soon as possible put them on a constitutional footing by her own force and counsel." From official sources the following is also given out in Washington:—

"No one outside of Mexico can now accommodate her affairs. The withdrawal of all moral and material support from without is the indispensibe first step to a solution from within. Front many sources which it deems trustworthy the Government of the United States lias received information which convinces it that there is a more hopeful prospect of peace, of the security of property, and of the early payment of foreign obligations if Mexico is left to the forces now reckoning with one another than there would be if anything like a mere change of personnel were effected at Mexico City>"

DELIGHT OF THE REBELS. Unquestionably the action which President Wilson lias felt it encumbent on him to take will make the war bloodier than ever. "The war will not last much

longer," remarked Francisco Villa, the bandit-soldier who is leading tile forces of Carrenza, Huerta's chief opponent, when he heard of the removal of the embargo. He believes that with arms and ammunition available from the United States he will have no trouble in sonquering Central and Southern Mexico as he has already conquered Northern Mexico. The reason the rebels, or constitutionalists hail with delight the lifting of the embargo is that they have had no seaports -and have had to smuggle arms from the United States, whereas Huerta, commanding the ports, lias .had the world to draw from. Now the rebels may buy guns and cartridges in America without let or hindrance. General Huerta,, in reply to a request from a Chicago paper for his views oil the removal of the embargo, telegraphed a refusal to comment on it, but announced that he has an armed force of 189,000 men, with which he is opening the northern campaign, and that 50.000 men are to be added to the army. "It is my wish," Huerta telegraphed, " that the military operations about to be undertaken be reported truthfully and impartially by competent correspondents for your own and other widely-eirculatel publications. As an inducement for the performance of such service, in order that the real facts may be known about

'the Government I have the honor to fcprcscnt, I offer herewith to pay firstclass passages to Mexico for 10 correspondents of leading newspapers in the United States. On the arrival of those correspondents this Government will fur-

nish them with money, supplies and an .armed escort, enabling them to travel in safety to the fields of military action, whence they may forward to their several newspapers full and accurate reports of conditions and events of which they will be personal witnesses."

MOVING PICTURE CONTRACT. Genera Villa has gone a step further, lie has entered into a contract with a moving picture concern for the exclusive rights to take pictures of operations in which he participates, lie to share in the profits of the exhibition of the films. Some really excellent pictures have been shown in the United States of the events connected with the taking of Ojinaga. Such has been the success on the battlefield of General Villa that he has been credited with the purpose of displacing his leader, Carranza, and demanding the presidency in the event of the overthrow of Huerta. This he denies. " Should General Carranza become President lie would receive my support and I would obey his commands," Villa said a few days ago. "As proof of my loyalty and as evidence that I have no ambition to become president, 1 would leave the country if he ordered me to do so." Barbaric ideas of warfare are entertained by Villa. Without any shame he announces that all Spaniards eaped in the Torron campaign, upon which he is about to embark, will be executed. " I am making this statement," he says, " so that no surprise will be expressed Inter and to give such Spaniards an opportunity to leave the country before iliev fall into inv hands."