The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-12
Washington Officials En- grossed in Interpretation
 of Neutrality Laws
PASS SUPPLIES AND
 FOOD, BUT NO ARMS
Taft's Policy of Non-Intervention Commended By John Barrett
 and Many Foreign Resi-
 idenfs of Mexico

Washington, May 1t.--oricials in Washington were today engrossed in considering questions of international law relating to rights of insurrection- ists to get food and other supplies from neutral territory, the extent to which the federal authority can go in con trolling the exportation of arms and
 munitions of war to Mexico, and what authority army officers may exercise legally in restricting movements Of civilians and soldiers and rebels on the border.
 | The state department. instead of mak-
 ing an official declaration, Indicated
 that the administration of the neutral lity laws reposed in the department of II justice while exportation of arms and
 supplies was up to the treasury de-
 partment to decide. The war depart
 ment simply abided by its original or
 ders to the military commanders to
 execute neutrality laws as they under
 stood them and If either the treasury
 or state departments choose to suggest any change in the practice the war de- pertinent was ready to conform. Actually there was no real question before the departments after the legal auNlSeT or the 1nSurrectlOnarX agent here had been told by the treasury de- partment that the trade relations be- tween Fl Paso and Juarez might pro- ceed as heretofore. Thus at least food supplies and merchandise might be car ried across the line according to tho usual practice. No attempt was made | to decide as to admission of arms as that question had not been raised. Prob
 
 is actually made to carry an invoice of rifles and ammunition through the United States custom house. The con- ditions then will have an important
 bearing upon the treasury decision, but lit Is generally believed that in view of
 decisions of the United States courts. if such arms and amnunitions are
 shipped by a regular dealer in the unit-
 ed States to another regular dealer in
 Juarez, they must be permitted to go through the Fl Paso custom house pro-
 vided they are not consigned to an agent of the insurrectionists. Any de- cision as to importations in Juarez would apply to any other Mexican bor- der town the insurectionists occupy.
 Colonel Steever Upheld l In answer to complaints to the war de- | partment of the severe measures adopted | by the United States military command CTS to prevent shipping supplies across l the line. as well as crossing of non-conl- | batants, Colonel Steevers action in Fl | Faso was upheld as fully within his in- l structions. He had required only that all supplies for Juarez be cleared through the Fl Paso custom house. as in normal | times. Major General Wood ordered mii- itary commanders to permit free passage ! across the international line of all per sons, Americans Mexicans without arms, and not carrying supplies. | Ambassador Wilson informed the state | department of gathering last night in | the United States embassy in Mexico | City of the representatives of Great | Britain, France, Italy. Belgium, Spain | and Germany to consider the situation with view to possible future contingent cies. MT. Wilson, dean of the diplo- nlatic corps there, called this meeting at the request of colleagues, the purpose | being simply to agree upon measure of l safety for the embassies and foreign res idents of the capital in case of siege.
 The insurrectos are preparing to reap the immense practical benefits which they | believe are bound to accrue through the | possession of an important international | port of entry.
 We shall immediately appoint custom | house agents who will collect duties and 1 who for that purpose will inspect all mer- | chandise coming through ports In our | possession," Jose Vasconcelos, the insur- | recto representative. said here tonight. ITO avoid damage to public interests we will recognize Invoices signed by consuls of the Diaz government until our own | consuls have been appointed and take office. I expect to have and announce il, | a few days the names of consuls and cus- toms agents
 | Business Goes Ahead
 Tn this way business transactions will | go ahead even though we do not get formal recognition of our officers. The fact that their services will have to be utilized by all shippers will establish defacto situation that probably will lead to formal recognition by foreign govern ments."
 President Tast's policy of non-interven- ton in Mexico is already bearing fruit. Director John Barrett of the Pan-Amer- l ican Union who is closely in touch with Latin-American affairs. told tho President today that he had received hundreds of | letters from Americans, foreigners and Mexicans in Mexico commenting the Taft policy of hands off
 | ..These letters contain the information that conditions would be infinitely worse If the United States interyened,' said MT. Barrett, ''because the peons in both the federal and insurrecto camps ultimately would combine against this country.
 Not only that, but other republics in Central and south America would no more believe professed friendship of the | United States
 In response to an appeal from Colonel steever, the Red Cross today ordered five nurses to Juarez for duty In tho temporary hospital established there to care for the wounded. Colonel Steever estimates the insurrecto wounded In Ju- arez at 100 of whom 50 are seriously hurt. The federal sick and wounded number I125. of whom 50 are in serious condition | Colonel Steever said there was ''vir- tually no provision for treatment of sick and wounded In Juarez until volunteer doctors and nurses from Fl Paso were sent across after firing ceased" l --- p:<-l.A T;l.a., 2