Page:Hands off Mexico.djvu/50

 been suggested than the one that might be expressed in these words:

"I am planning to invade Mexico. England has agreed that there shall be no interference, PROVIDED I put through this bill?"

Vera Cruz was occupied in great haste. The order was issued before Congressional authorization had been obtained. The haste was explained as due to the President's desire to prevent two shiploads of arms from reaching Huerta.

This is perfectly understandable as a maneuver in a general campaign to oust Huerta. But the action that followed is difficult to explain as a part of such a campaign. For Wilson permitted Huerta to get the arms. The occupation occurred in time to prevent the disembarkation of the arms at Vera Cruz. When the munitions ships backed away and sailed for another port, Puerto Mexico, Admiral Fletcher wirelessed Washington suggesting that he occupy that port also. "No" was the answer he received. So our marines, who had killed 200 Mexicans and lost 19 of their own number, for the supposed purpose of seizing these arms, looked on while the arms were delivered to Huerta.

Nor does the action which the President proceeded to take with regard to Carranza comport either with his message to the latter or with the theory that he was concerned solely with ridringridding [sic] Mexico of Huerta. For the President again clapped down his embargo against the land ports, every one of which was now in the hands of Carranza!

Huerta was still able to procure arms by sea. That the new embargo was favorable to Huerta is indicated in a Niagara Falls dispatch (from the A-B-C Mediation Conference) June 4:

Why, after shedding American and Mexican blood to injure Huerta, should the President "elate" Huerta's partisans?

As a matter of fact, did the occupation of Vera Cruz determine the fall of Huerta?

It is almost universally assumed that it did. A glance at the war-map (or the news of that day) is sufficient to compel the contrary conclusion. The Constitutionalists were in possession