New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-05-13
ARMS TO BE ADMITTED

Washington, May Officials
III Washington were today en-
crossed i'll considering questions
Of international law relating to
rights of lnsurrectioniSts to get
food and other supplies from neu-
trail territory. the extent to which
the Federal authority can 90 in
controlling the expectation OF arms
and munitions of war 10 Mexico
and what authority army officers
may exercise legally in restricting
movements of civilians and soldier
and rebels on the border.
The State Department, instead
OF making an official declaration
Indicated that the administration
of the neutrality laws repoSed i'll
the Department of Justice. while
the question of expectation OF
arms and supplies was for the
Treasury Department to decide.
The War Department simply abid,
ed by its original orders to the
military commanders to execute
neutrality laws as they under
stood them,
Actually. there was no real
question bafore the departments
after the legal adviser of tte in
surrectionary agent here had
been told by the Treasury De
partment that the trade relations
between FL Paso and Juarez
might proceed as heretofore
Thus, at least, food supplies and
merchandise might be carried
across the line. according to the
usual practice. No attempt was
made to decide as to admission of
arms, as that question had not
been raised. Probably it will not
e until an attempt actually is
made to carry an invoice on rifles
and ammunition through the
United States custom house. The
conditions then will have an i'm.
portant bearing upon the Treas
ury decision, but it is generally
believed that, in view of decisions
Of the United States courts, if
such arms and ammunition are
shipped by a regular dealer in
the United States to another reg
ular dealer in Juarez, they must
be permitted to 90 through the
Ell Paso custom house. provided
they are not consigned to an
agent Of the insurrectionists. Any
decision as to importations in
Juarez would apply to any other
Mexican border town the insur-
rectionists occupy.
In answer to complaints Of the
War Department of the severe
adopted by the United
States military commanders to
prevent shipping supplies across
the line, as well as crossing Of
non-combatants, Col. Steever's ac-
ton in Ell Paso was upheld as full
ly within his instructions. He
had required only that all sup
plies for Juarez be cleared through
the FL Paso custom house, as in
normal times. Major General
Wood ordered military command
ers to permit free passage across
the international line of all per-
sons. Americans or Mexicans,
without arms and not carryin g
supplies.
eve shall Immediately appoint
custom house agents. who will
collect duties, and who, for that
purpose, will inspect all merchan-
disc coming through ports in our
possession" Jose Vasconcelos, the
instructor representative, said
here tonight. "To avoid damage
to public interests, we will rec
ognize in voices signed by consuls
Of the Diaz government until our
own consuls have been appointed
and take Office. ! expect to have,
and announce in a few days, the
names of consuls and customs
agents.
"In this way business transac-
tons will go ahead. even though
we do not get a formal recognition
Of our officers. The fact that their
services will have to be utilized
by all shippers will esablish de
facto situation that probably will
lead to formal recognition by
foreign governments. FIX