The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-04-18

Must Act
Tart Announces Body Must Determine
United States is to Inter.
Nene in Mexico.
CRISIS REACHED IN
sNUB TO AMERICA
Demands That Fighting on Border
Cease are Ignored by the
Mexican Government

WASHINGTON. April l7.-Presi-
dent Taft felt tonight that he has done
personally all that can be done by a
chief executive 10 control the situation
along the Mexican boarder. He and
his advisers believe that now congress
must say whether tho situation Is
grave enough TO warrant Intervention
and its consequences.
Through the state department. the
administration played what may be
regarded rs its last card today. II
reiterated i'm no uncertain fashion the
representations made To Mexico a few
days back. that affairs like that at
Douglas and Aqua Prieta last week
must not be repeated. Instead OF
awaiting the customary period for a
formal reply from Mexico. the depart
nent asked for immediate assurances
that there be no more fighting that
endangered Americans in the border
towns. A few hours after the depart
ment announced that IL had issued
this second demand the dispatches
from Douglas began TO come into the
war department showing that the sec
ond battle OF Aqua Prieta had begun.
Tonight no reply had been received
from the Mexican authorities.
Taft is Worried.
The president is plainly worried. He
talked but little. the White House
folks said about Mexico today but the
bulletins that came through tho war
department and through the press
were taken TO him wherever he hap
pened TO be and read with interest.
The president had two important
conferences. He talked with Secre-
tary Knox in the afternoon and to-
night he had a conference with Am
bassador Bryce OF Great Britain. It
Is practically certain. that Mexico
figured IN the conversation.
In connection with Mr.. Bryce's visit
q suggestion that there might be Joint
Intervention IN Mexico by the United
States and England was discredited.
Il was pointed out that any such Joint
Intervention would be construed as
an Acknowledgement by the United
States that this nation is unable TO
handle the situation and that II would
be almost an abandonment Of the Mon
roe doctrine
No Special Message.
President Taft has told callers that
he does not contemplate sending a
special message TO congress relating
~ tl4" touulilOu or dUalf6 IN Mexico.
He has shown 10 leaders OF both the
senate and house the confidential cor
respondence dealing with Mexico He
thinks that since tho leaders in con-
gress have practically all the inform
atiCn he had 70 II their duty TO take
any further action.
The president himself has let Il be
known that no United States troops
would cross the line unless authorized
by congress and Secretary OF War
Dickson confirmed that statement toA
night
SO ono here doubts that intervent-
ion would mean war. War I'm Mexico,
the presidents advisers say, would
mean "a conflict that would rage for
months. probably years. The topo-
graphy o. Mexico. the mountains. tbs
insufficient means Of quick communi-
cation and q dozen other things that
must be- figured would have TO be met.
Intervention would mean n long drawn
ont struggle in which the Mexican
fedcrals and the fnsurrecfos might
soon be found fighting side by side.
Furthermore Intervention would 10
likcly to dissiratc all the good feeling
that years OF careful diplomacy has
created between the United States and
the Latin. American countries.