Huerta's Downfall Is Now Predicted.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 26, 1913:
Reports at Washington Show Gradual Hemming In of Federal Forces.
THE INTERIOR IS ISOLATED
Wilson Permits Repatriation of Ojeda's Men, Despite Senator Smith's Protest.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, April 25.— There is an increasing feeling here that the progress of the revolution in Mexico will soon develop a situation that will result in the downfall of Huerta. The maps that are kept in the offices of the General Staff of the United States Army, with their pins of blue and red showing the positions of the regular and revolutionary forces, are day by day working out an alignment that is gradually closing in on the City of Mexico and crowding the regulars back into a territory where, sooner or later they will be cut off from all communication with the outside world.
    A wireless telegram to-day from Rear Admiral Usher, in command of the special squadron at Tampico, says that, while conditions there are practically unchanged, there are constant rumors of an attack upon the city.
    The General commanding the Mexican Government forces, however, has assured Admiral Usher that there is no danger of attack. Points in the interior and up the coast are continually hearing alarming rumors of an advance of the revolutionary forces.
    Dispatches from United States Consuls at various points along the coast are to the effect that all mail communication with the interior of Mexico is cut off to the north of Vera Cruz. Consul Hanna, at Monterey, says that the last mail from the United States was received there on April 10, and the last from Tampico on the 16th. Mails from the City of Mexico are received irregularly, but there has been none from elsewhere in the interior for the last two weeks.
    While President Wilson and the Cabinet were in session Senator Smith of Arizona sent a telegram to the Cabinet room which told of the request of the Huerta Government to have 800 Federal soldiers who escaped to the American side at Nogales after the battle of Naco transported through Arizona to El Paso, Texas, that they might recross into Federal territory at Juarez. Senator Smith declared that he considered that the giving of such permission would be aiding the Huerta Government, and that movements of troops of either side in the Mexican revolt should not be permitted through American territory.
    The Cabinet, however, decided to follow the precedent established in the Taft Administration of permitting the troops to travel through American territory unarmed and as civilians.

    DOUGLAS, Ariz., April 25.— Constitutionalist leaders at Agua Prieta, Sonora, last night drafted a petition to Gov. Pesqueira, asking that a bill be passed making it a felony for foreigners to close their mines or mills. It was asserted that such acts were overt evidence of sympathy with the Huerta Government.
    This is the latest turn of affairs in connection with the disagreement between the insurgent State officials and the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company, the plants of which have practically been shut down owing to labor troubles which resulted in mob violence against the American officials of the company.
    Gen. Pedro Ojeda, the Federal commander defeated at Naco, and 250 refugee Federal soldiers left here to-day for Juarez, Mexico, by way of El Paso, Texas. Their arms and ammunition were turned over to the Mexican Consul at Naco, Ariz., on orders from Washington.