THE CABINET: A Delicate Situation

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Secretary of State Hughes attempted to ease the Mexican situation (TIME, Jan. 7 et seq.) without damage to U. S. interests and without hostilities. He met with difficulties. The light cruiser Tacoma, which has been patrolling the Mexican coast for some time, after putting in at Galveston, ran aground on Blanquilla Reef on its return to Vera Cruz, Rebel capital. There are normally five different lights visible at that point, but it is believed that these were extinguished by the Rebels. The greater part of the crew was taken ashore. The cruiser, still manned by a small complement, lay in only two fathoms of water, and was feared to be a total loss. She is one of the older vessels of her type, belonging to the vintage of 1904.

Meanwhile Cabinet meetings in Washington strove to find a course that would avoid all shoals and reefs for the ship of state. Rebel gunboats had blockaded Tampico, 300 miles from Vera Cruz, and threatened to hold up American shipping going to and from the oil fields. After the Cabinet meetings, Secretary Hughes consulted with representatives of the Petroleum Producers in Mexico.

It was decided to send the light cruiser Richmond, with Admiral Magruder, to Vera Cruz from Panama. Two days later the Omaha and six destroyers were ordered to follow. The Omaha and Richmond are two of the most modern and fastest units of the light cruiser fleet, commissioned within a year.

Later the Richmond was ordered to Tampico to raise the Rebel blockade.

Meanwhile Secretary Hughes prevailed on acting Governor Davidson of Texas to permit Mexican Government troops to traverse part of Texas in passing from one field of operations against the Rebels to another. The ticklishness of the situation is that Americans in Mexico or along the border may suffer if the ire of either faction is aroused. So far Mr. Hughes has supported the recognized Obregon Government; it is impossible to say how long the policy may be continued without arousing the active enmity of the Rebels.

"Panama Straits"