The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-07
Ministers VIII Be Given Their
Passports
DANGER OF HOSTILITIES
The Trouble Comes From Refusal of
Guatemala to Give Up General
Lima, Charged With Muir
der of BarriIlas.

Washington, D. c., May 6-Although
telegraph wires have not brought to
Washington the actual news of the sew
erance of diplomatic relations of Guate-
mala and Mexico, officials here have no
doubt that Mexico took the action today
that Will ra6ult in giving to the Guate-
malan minister to Mexico passports for
his withdrawal. The Mexican minister
in Guatemala is now preparing to return
home and the American charge. Philip
Brown, secretary to the legation, has
been instructed to look after Mexican in
terest in the Guatemalan capital upon
the departure of the Mexican minister.
Ambassador Creel of Mexico has been
in hourly anticipation of a message from
his government informing him that the
break had occurred between his country
and Guatemala. He was advised that
Guatemala had denied the request for the
surrender of Gen Jose Lima, who is sus
pected of being implicated in the murder
in Mexico of former President Barrillas
of Guatemala and that there was no al
tentative but for Mexico to consider the
refusal as an insult necessitating the dis
continuance of relations between the two
countries.
No Possible Settlement.
The break was to take place today and
the absence of any message announcing It
does not mean that 1t has not occurred in
accordance with the programme. The
state department had numerous messages
today from Minister Lee, who is about to
leave Guatemala for the United States on
account of illness, and from Secretary
f,t, Ht,,, ,aI ~,
| advices received fro mthe diplomatic rep
resentatves in Washington of the two
icnii ptrfes thatfthere WAS no 20 lsibJ. +
| of Guatemala Mexico arganE ug the
| controversy over the demand for the ex-
| tradition of Gen. Lima.
The formality of issuing passports in
the two countries each for the withdraw
al OF the minister of the other govern
ment will probably require a day or two
1t is not known here what dplomatist
will attend to the interests of Guatemala
in Mexico. but it is not impossible that
the United States will perform this serv-
ice as well as for Mexico in Guatemala.
The severance of diplomatic relations
does not mean war, although the fact
that the countries adjoin causes great
anxiety and that there may be at any
time invasons by one or the other into
the territory of the enemy by irresponsi-
BILE hands and doubtless trouble would re-
suit that might easily end in declarations
of hostilities. Officials of the state de-
partment intend to use their good Offices
in an effort to adjust the present diff
Guilty.
Right Under Treaty.
DIR. Toledo Herrarte, the Guatemalan
minister, conferred with Assistant Secre-
tary Bacon today concerning the situation
and said that he hoped that there would
be a settlement soon. He declared that
under the treaty between Mexico and
Guatemala one country had no right to
demand the surrender of citizen of the
other. The extradition treaty is intended
for the surrender of a fugitive from his
own country but in the case of Gen. Lima
the extadition could be expected only as
an act of courtesy. DIR. Herrarte believes
also that If President Cabrera should be
disposed to surrender Gen. Lima, the
Guatemalan courts would hold that there
was no authority in law for such action.
At the time of the interview the Guate-
malan minister had not received any in
formation direct from his government In
dicating that diplomatic relations with
Mexico had been broken Off
Safely Adjusted.
Dr. Herrarte, the Guatemalan minister,
tonight received cable message from the
Guatemalan minister of foreign affairs,
in which he says difficulty with Mexico
will be safely adjusted.
Relations Not Severed.
City of Mexico, May 6.-Diplomatic re-
lations between Mexico and Guatemala
have not been severed Tonight the sec
retary of general affairs, Jos. e. Algera,
emphatically denied the report emanating
from Washington to the effect that Min
ister Gamboa had been recalled.