The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1907-05-09
WAR CLOUD LOOMS
Possibility Of Scrap Between
Mexico and Guatemala.
RELATIONS ARE STRAINED
Trouble Brews Over Refusal of Qua
temaIa to Deliver General Lima
for Alleged Completely in
BarriIIas Murder.

The strained relations between
Mexico and Guatemala arising from
the failure of the latter to surrender
under extradition proceedings for trial
in Mexico, General Lima, charged with
completely in the assassination OF
President Barrillas. LIS a matter OF Sc
rious concern to the officials in Wash
ington. They are sincerely desirous OF
the maintenance of peace in all OF
the three American republics, pending
the meeting and conclusion of the sec
ond Hague conference, otherwise the
presentation of certain subjects to the
conference by the United States would
lose much of its force.
With this in view the state depart
ment has gone t0 unusual lengths In
its efforts to terminate the war be-
tween Nicaragua and Honduras and
! prevent its spread to other Central
American countries, and also to guard
against further troubles in the fu-
ture by providing for a permanent
peace commission to meet in Nicara-
qua. The details of this last arrange
ment, particularly as to time and
place. are expected to be disclosed in
| the treaty of Amalapa, when the text
of that recently negotiated convention
reaches Washington.
Hence the officials view with appre-
| hension the increasing friction be-
| tween Mexico and Guatemala and
there are frequent conferences at the
state department, the last being Thurs
day between Secretary Root, Assistant
| Secretary Bacon and Ambassador
Creel of Mexico, in the pursuit OF
common purpose to avoid fresh out
break of war. AS the situation stands
now, it may be stated on authority
that the Mexican government does not
believe it will be necessary to go to
the length of actual hostilities. 1t
does feel that 1t has a right to de-
mand of Guatemala the surrender Of
| fugitives who have committed the
greatest of crimes on Mexican soil. 1t
/ is feared that the demand for Jose
Lima will ultimately be refused by
Guatemala, if for no other reason than
because Lima is regarded as the right
hand man of President Cabrera, in
whose interest he is charged with
having connived at the assassination
OF Barrillas.
But In that event war might not fol-
low according to this authority. The
Mexican troops that have mobilized
on the Guatemalan frontier to the
number of ten thousand would be re-
tanned there and diplomatic relations
of the two countries would be termi-
mated, but there would be no declara-
ton of war and no hostile acts on the
part of Mexico so long as there was
no fresh provocation by Guatemala.
Such a situation would be unpleas
ant, but not intolerable- and might be
terminated in one or two ways, either
! by the breaking out of revolution d.
rectly against Cabrera's government
or by the decision Of the latter to
yield to the Mexican demand for Ii
mas extradiIion. The Guatemalans as.
sert that very active junta exists in
Mexico with the object of financing
and starting revolution in Guatemala
against the existing government and it
| is pointed out that General Barrillas
was assassinated because he was the
head of that junta. Naturally --'4N the
strained relations between Mexico and
{ Guatemala, resulting from a termina-
ton of all diplomatic interchanges,
it might be supposed that the Mexican
! government would not be particularly
diligent and earnest in its efforts to
curb the activity Of this junta in the
matter of getting arms and men
across the border into Guatemala |;
hence the belief that an active reyolu-
tion may be expected.