The Sentinel=record., 1911-05-12
WASHINGTON
 FACING PROBLEM
ENcRcssED OVER RIGHTS OF REBELS TO GET MERcHAN-
 plSE AT FL PASo.
Food, Medicine, Merchandise ana Probably War Munitions May Now
 Be Sent Over Border.

considering questions of international law relating to rights of lnsurrection-
 ists to get food and other supplies from neutral territory. the extent to
 which the federal authority can go in controlling the exportatlon of arms and munitions of war to Mexico, and
 what authority army officers may ex- ercise legally in restricting move
 ments of cilivians and soldiers and rebels on the border.
 The state department instead Of making an official declaration indi- cated that the administrator of the neutrality laws reposed in the de partment of justice while exportation of arms and supplies was up to the treasury department to decide The
 war department simply abided by it's original orders to the military com
 manders to execute neutrality laws as they understood them, and if either the treasury or state departments
 choose to suggest any change in the practice, the war department was
 ready to conform.
 Actually, there was no real ques- ton before the departments after the legal adviser of the insurrectionary agent here had been told by the treasury department that the trade relations between Fl Paso and Juarez might proceed as heretofore. Thus. at least food supplies and merchan disc might be carried across the line according to the usual practice. No at
 tempt was made to decide as to ad-
 mission of arms as that question had not been raised. Probably it will not
 be until an attempt is actually made
 to carry an invoice on rifles and am
 munition through the United States
 custom house. The conditions then
 will have an important bearing upon the treasury decision, but it Is gener ally believed that in view of the de
 cisions of the United States courts | if such arms and ammunition are
 shipped by regular dealer in the
 United States to another regular dealer in Juarez, they must be per
 mitted to go through the Fl Paso GUS tom house provided they are not con | signed to an agent of the insurrection-
 ists. Any decision as to importatioas
 In Juarez would apply to any other
 Mexican border town the insurrec- tionsts occupy.
 In answer to complaints to the war department of the severe measures adopted by the United states military commanders to prevent shipping sup plies across the line. as well as the crossing of noncombatants, Colonel Steevers action in Fl paso was up held as fully within his Instructions. He had required only that all sup plies for Juarez be cleared through the El Paso custom house, as in nor maj times. Major General Wood or dered military commanders to permit free passage across the international line of all persons, Americans or
 Mexicans, without arms and not car rying 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, Bet gium. Spain and Germany to consider the situation there with view to
 possible future contingencies MT. Wilson as dean of the diplomatic corps there, called this meeting at the request of colleageus, the pur- pose being simply to agree upon the measures of safety for the embassies and foreign residents of the capitol in case of a siege.
 The insurrectos are preparing to Ireap the immense practical benefits which they believe are bound to ac- crue through the possession of an i'm portant international port of entry We shall immediately appoint GUS toms house agents who will collect dues, and who. for that purpose, will inspect all merchandise coming through ports in our possession,' Jose vaseoneelos the insurrecto rep resentative. said here tonight. "fo avoid damage to public interesta. we will recognize invoices signed by con- suls of the Diaz government until our own consus have been appointed and take office. expect to have and an nounce in few days the names of consuls and customs agents.
 Tn this way business transactions will go ahead, even though We do not get a formal recognition of our off cers. The fact that their services will have to be utilized by all shippers will establish de facto situation that probably will lead to formal rec