"The people are going to take the law into their own hands, as much as we regret it. The citizens of this country are going to suppress manifestations hostile to our allies." FOOTNOTE: [5] The _Maverick_ was lost in a typhoon off the Philippines in August, 1917. CHAPTER XVII MEXICO, IRELAND, AND BOLO Huerta arrives in New York--The restoration plot--German intrigue in Central America--The Zimmermann note--Sinn Fein--Sir Roger Casement and the Easter Rebellion--Bolo Pacha in America and France--A warning. Germany learned during President Roosevelt's administration that the Monroe Doctrine was not to be tampered with. The United States stood squarely upon a policy of "hands off Latin America." But both commercial and diplomatic Germany were attracted by the bright colors of the somewhat kaleidoscopic political condition of the Central and South American nations. In political confusion, Mexico, at the outbreak of war, led all the rest. This suited Germany's purpose perfectly--provided that at least one faction in Mexico might be susceptible to her influence. The first three years of war proved to the satisfaction of the most skeptical that Mexican unrest would trouble the United States, and it was upon this theory that Germany long before 1914 baited her hook for Mexico. Propagandists in our neighbor republic added fuel to the already brisk flame of native hostility to the Yankee. A considerable German commercial colony grew up, assimilated the language and customs of Mexico, and bade fair to be a strong competitor in the development of the huge natural resources waiting there for foreign capital. By 1914 Germany had evidently expected to be in a position sufficiently strong to enlist Mexico on her side in case the United States gave trouble. The reader will recall that Admiral von Hintze in the summer of 1914 had recommended Captain von Papen for a decoration for having organized a fair military unit of the Germans in Mexico. That same summer, however, saw Mexico with troubles of her own, and German efforts against the United States through Mexico had to be postponed. Early in 1914 General Huerta, an unscrupulous, powerful and dissolute factionist, had executed a _coup d'etat_ which placed him in the president's chair. He at once advertised for bids. The United States had no intention of protecting him, and in order to stop at its source any trouble which might prove too attractive to a foreign power, placed an embargo upon the shipment of American arms into Mexico. The American fleet was despatched to Vera Cruz to see that the order was carried out. The steamship _Ypiranga_, with a cargo of arms, succeeded in eluding the fleet, and under orders from the German admiral, and the direction of Karl Heynen, the arms were landed.