El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-18
CONGRESSM MAY
SEND TROOPS
To MEXICO
President Declines to Take
Further Steps Alone Be
lieves It Would Mean War
HAS CONFERENCE
WITH MR.. BRYCE

Continued from Page Csie).
requested as to what measures the
! authorities had taken to prevent fu-
ture combats of this kind. a few
hours after the department an
nounced it had issued this second de-
mand, dispatches from Douglas began
| to come in to the war department
showing that the second battle of Aqua
! Prieta had begun and that shots had
| showered into Douglas. The president
! plainly is worried. He talks little the
white house folk say, about Mexico,
but the bulletins that came through
| the war department and through the
press were taken to him wherever he
! happened to be and read Immediately.
| He did not conceal the fact that he was
/ intensely interested.
Taft Sees Bryce.
The president had two important
conferences. He talked with secretary
Knox in the afternoon and last night
| he had a conference with ambassador
Bryce of Great Britain. The official ex-
PLANTATION of Mr.. Bryce's visit was that
he came TO talk about the proposed ar
bitration treaty between the United
States and England. 1t is practically
certain that Mexico figured in the con-
versation. 1t is believed the ambas-
! sador explained to Mr.. Taft the land
ing of British marines at San Quentin,
Mexico, last week. He was ablestO tell
the president the landing was made
only after American and British sub
jects asked for protection.
In connection with Mr.. Bryce's Wis
it. a suggestion that there might be
joint Intervention in Mexico by the
United States and England was dis
credited. It was pointed out that any
such joint intervention would be con-
strued as an acknOwedg cement by the
United States that this nation is I'M
able TO handle the situation and that
it would be almost an abandonment OF
the Monroe doctrine
No Message TO Congress.
President Taft has told callers that
he does not contemplate sending ,
special message to congress relating
to the condition of affairs in Mexico.
He has shown to leaders OF both the
senate and house the confidential cor
respondence dealing with Mexico.
he feels that few. if any. of those
who have been taken into his conf
dence have failed to agree with him
that the movement OF troops to Texas
was justified. He thinks that since
the leaders in congress have prac-
tically all the information it is their
duty to take any further action.
sloan wires Id1I.
President Taft has replied to a mes
sage from governor Sloan, of Arizona
asking protection for citizens of Doug
rectos that he was loath to endanger
Americans in Mexico by taking so rad
ical a step as sending American troops
across the border to prevent further
fighting
The president, in his telegram TO
the governor said the situation might
justify him in ordering troops to cross
the border and attempt to stop the
fighting or to fire upon both contest
ants from the American side.
He hesitated to take such a step,
however, because Of the possibility Of
resistance and greater bloodshed and
the danger of having his motives mis-
construed and arOusing Mexicans
against Americans now in Mexico. In
view Of the conditions there the presi-
dent felt he could not order the troops
at Douglas to cross the border, but he
again emphasized the advisability OF
the people of Douglas avoiding expos 4
ing themselves by flying bullets.
Governor sIOan's Message.
The message to the president was
dated Douglas, 1921 o'clock last night /
1t read:
THE President. Washington. D. c.:
AS a result of today's fighting
across the international line but with /
in gunshOt range OF the heart of Doug !
las. five Americans were wounded on /
this side of the line Everything points !
TO repetition of The casualties on to-
morrow and while the federals seem !
disposed to keep their agreement not /
to fire into Douglas, the position of 1
the insurrectos is such that when /
fighting occurs on the east and south /
east of the Entertainments people liv- /
ing in Douglas are put in danger of /
their lives.
In my judgment radical measures /
are needed to protect our innocent /
people, and if anything can be done I
to stop the fighting at Aqua Prieta the !
calls for such action. 1t is /
impossible to safeguard the people of +
Douglas unless the town can be va
Gated. Can anything be done TO relieve 4
the situation, which is now acute?
(Signed-) Richard E Sloane"
President to sloane.
The. reply of the president. promptly
tranSTn itted, read:
ITO Governor Sloane, Douglas, Ariz:
Your dispatch received. Have made
urgent demands upon Mexican gov
eminent to issue instruction to pre-
vent firing across the border by the
Mexican federal troops and am wait
ing reply. Meantime I have sent di-
rect warning to the Mexicans and in
surgent forces near Douglas.
Il infer from your dispatch that
both parties attempt to heed the
warning but that in the strained sit
uation and exigencies of the contest
wild bullets still find tkeir way into
Douglas. The situation might. justify
NE in ordering our troops to cross the
boTder and attempt to stop the fight
ng\or to fire upon both cOmb3tants
from the American side
But if I take this step I must
face the possibility of resistance and
sreS ter bloodshed, and also the dan
ger of having our motives misconstrued
and misrepresented, and of thus in
flaming Mexican popular Indignation
against many thousands of Americans
now in Mexico, and jeOpardizing their
ives and property.
The pressure for general interven-
conditions - [