Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-21
MEXICO'O REPLY is EVASTVE
Seeks to Throw Blame for Trouble at
Douglas on Americans.
FULL DOCUMENT NOT AT HAND
said TO Contain Charge that Mexican
officer was wounded by shot
from United states Gus
toms House.

/ WASHINGTON. April 2O.-The recent
here today of the outline of the reply the
Mexican government has made to President
! Taft's strong remonstrance against the
conduct of warfare on the border some
what depressed the hopes OF the officials
who had confidently expected a complete
responsive reply from Mexico.
Withholding official statements until the
full text OF the De la Barra note is at
hand. the president, in full knowledge of
the fact that II is recriminatory in some
points is disposed to deal with IL leniently.
The presidents rejoinder must be based
on further official reports from the Amer
lean military officers. whose impartlality
in the fighting at Aqua Prieta has been
impeached.
1t is feared that disposition prevails IN
Mexico to make political capital out OF
the activity Of the Americans. and this
will promptly be resented II 1t appears as
calculated to impair the good relations of
the two countries.
Ambassador Zamacona issued a state
ment today in which he declared that
Mexico's reply would be found to be
friendly in form and essence"
No Danger of War.
That President Taft is more determined
than ever that the United States must not
intervene in Mexico became known here
this afternoon following a conference be-
tween the president and Secretary Knox
and a committee from the house of repre-
sentatlves The president stated that diff
ficulties must arise out of conditions in
Mexico because of the proximity of fight
ing TO the American line.
But" he Is quoted as saying, ut takes
two to make a war"
The president, however, is Of the opinion
that the Mexican government will observe
to the best of its ability the definite re-
strictive policy along the border" which
1t promised to enforce in its informal reply
to the State departments demand
The house committee was composed of
Representative Sulzer, New York; Garner,
Texas; Sharpe, Ohio and Foster, Vermont
The conferees did not have before them
the full text of Mexico's reply, but were
told that published reports had omitted
portions highly important to the United
States.
The president pointed out reasons why
repetitions of the Douglas incident may be
looked for. He said that neutrality laws
are practically obsolete: that irresponsible
ne'er-do-wells, ready for anything, are
always to be found along the border and
that both insurrectos and federals desire
to control the towns at which the Mexican
and American railroads terminate.
Representative Sulzer voiced what he
evidently believed to be the sentiment of mis-
committee
I'VE are agreed to act so as to prevent
invasion or Intervention" he said.
Note from State Department.
The State department today issued the
following statement;
THE Department of State declines to
comment on press kilograms from Mexico
on the subject of the reply to the repre-
sentation made by the American embassy
under it's actions of April IA to call at.
tention Ito. the need of Instruction To pre-
vent further danger to American life and
property. as in the Douglas incident.
Neither the text OF the embassy's note
nor of the Mexican reply is before the
president. From brief telegram received
from the embassy on the subject 1t ap-
pears that orders have been given through
the Mexican war department to prevent
firing that might endanEer American
life and property in Douglas and
that the Mexican government has ex-
pressed itself as deploring the incident in
question.
II Is inferred from the emOasSyS tele-
gram that there is some discrepancy be-
| tween the news which has reached the
two capitals as to various particulars con-
| nected with the Douglas incident"
The president 1t is said, regards IL as
natural that the Mexican government
should raise questions Of fact as to the
responsibility for casualties among Amer
leans along the border. Representative
| Slayden OF Texas, one of the early callers
at the White House. said the president be-
leved Mexico was sparring in the usual
diplomatic fashion. According to Mr..
Slayden. the president is still hopeful that
peace in Mexico is coming shortly and
believes the American border will not
again suffer as It did at the pattIe Of Aqua
| Prieta-
The president and Secretary Knox dis
cussed the Mexican situation with the sub
committee of the house committee on for
eign affairs, composed of Representatives
Garner OF Texas. Sharpe of Ohio and
Foster OF Vermont.
One suggestion discussed at the confer
ence proposes a neutral zone extending for
ten miles either side OF the interna-
tional lines.