Neither Side Wanted Truce.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 17, 1913:
Diaz and Huerta Consented Reluctantly — Madero Was Exasperated.
    MEXICO, Feb. 16.— Hostilities were resumed with renewed fierceness in the Mexican capital to-day after a truce which lasted only a few hours.
    The armistice, signed at 2 o'clock Sunday morning by the representatives of both sides, bound them to suspend operations for twenty-four hours, but it was broken before noon. Soon the sound of heavy cannonading and the whirr of machine guns announced the return of the Federal troops to their posts in front of the arsenal. It appeared as though the words of Madero and Diaz might prove prophetic, and that this time the battle would be to a finish.
    President Madero this morning reiterated his refusal to comply with the suggestion of the Senators that he resign. He declared that he was still able to dominate, and that, given time, he would crush the rebel forces.

Rebels Felt More Confident.
    Gen. Diaz had not shown himself to be greatly in favor of the armistice, but consented to it out of respect for the efforts of the American Ambassador and the Ministers of the powers to bring about a cessation of hostilities until the foreigners and other non-combatants still within the zone of the fighting could be removed to a position of comparative safety. He regarded the truce as merely a delay in the accomplishment of his fixed purpose to drive Madero out of the Presidency.
    The fighting Saturday had undoubtedly gone in favor of the rebels, who had resisted all assaults against them, had received into their ranks several hundred Federal deserters and had obliged the Federal commanders to admit that for the present, at least, their position was impregnable.
    Gen. Huerta, commander of the Government troops, a hard fighter who has been through many campaigns, also was opposed to the armistice, and chafed under the terms which it imposed upon him. Nor did he willingly agree to an order sending a large body of his forces back to the Federal base near the National Palace last night.
    President Madero's attitude was one of exasperation, but as he had requested the American Government to withhold intervention, he could do no more than consent to an armistice, when the question was submitted directly to him. He let it be known, without equivocation, however, that he was determined to retain the Presidency.

Diplomats Make Demands.
    The American Ambassador and the German Minister called on the President and on Gen. Huerta and asked that the military dispositions of the Government forces should be so arranged as to render unnecessary the firing over the resident quarter; that a free zone be fixed, and that the Government unite with the American committee in the establishment of centres for the distribution of food to the poor, this having already been agreed to by Gen. Diaz provisionally.
    Early this morning the Embassy was the scene of intense activity. A dozen automobiles moved swiftly to and fro, carrying refugees, provisions, and messages. The work entailed necessitated the hiring of a corps of extra clerks and stenographers. The Embassy building was besieged by hundreds, not all of them Americans, who asked for advice or assistance.
    There is little actual suffering from lack of food or shelter within the city, but there is a vast amount of discomfort and great danger to those who remain.