Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-13
IMPORTANT CONFERENCE :
HELD AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Foreign Relations Committees Re-
ports Resolution to the Senate.
ACTION TAKEN UNANIMOUS
Matter Ordered Laid on the Table.
to Be Taken Up Later
Today, If Possible.

AT most important conference at tba
White House this morning on the Mexican
| situation it was decided to press imme.
| dlately before Congress an amendment to
existing neutrality laws giving the Presi.
| dent authority TO declare by proclamauon
as unlawful the shipment of arms and
ammunition into any neighboring country
| of the United States
Ihe conference was participated in by
| the Texas senators and representatives
members of the foreign relations COM
mittee of the Senate and Attorney Gem
eral Wickersham
Resolution Reported to Senate.
After the conference the Senate COM
mlttee on foreign relations held a meet
ing and framed concurrent resolution
| authorizing the President to prohibit the
shipment of arms from the United States
into any state on the American CONT
nent which is in a condition of disorder.
Inc resolution would impose heavy pen-
aities, the intention being to make it I'M
meulateIy appilcaDIe to the Mexican sltua-
ton. The resolution, adopted unanimous
1 ly In committee, was reported to the Sem
ate Immediately
As adopted by the Senate commit
tee 1t was presented to the Senate
Il
| ordered to lie on the table and he printed
with the understanding that it would be-
taken up for action later in the day il
possible.
The resolution is an amplification of the
| act of April -, 1S9S. prohibiting the ship
ment OF coal and otner artIcles used In
| war from seaports in the United States.
Inc text of the resolution follows:
whenever the President sail find
that conditions Of domestic violence exist
In any American country which are pro-
| noted by the use OF arms or munitions
| or war procured from the United States
the PRESIDENT Is hereby authorized in his
discretion, and with such limitations and
excepuons as shall seem to him expedi-
| ent, TO prohibit the export Of arms or
munitions or war from any place i'm the
| Cnieed states to sucn country until other
wise ordered by the President or by Con-
gress.
.'Ine shipment of any material pro-
hlbited by any such proclamation shall
@ oe punishable by fine not exceeding $lO.-
OOO, or Imprisonment not exceeding two
years, or BOTH"
The President and those who attended
| the White House conference believe that
the authority desired will be conferred
| upon the President. Such authority will
at once be followed by a proclamation
which will instantly stop ell shipments OF
| fighting material into Mexico
Under existing neutrality laws and Gus
| toms OF this country, it is practically i'm.
possible to stop shipments of arms to
rebel bands in Mexico. There is no pen
4 atty for such shl pments, and the proposed
amendment will provide such penalty.
Action Will Strengthen Madero.
| 1t was the consensus of opinion Of
the conference that with such an
amendment to existing laws it will be
hard work in the future for discomfort
ed Mexicans to get the arms and mu-
1 IvosA;
tions. If the law had been in effect
before this, fighting in Mexico would
have been a much more difficult prob
| lem than in the past. Madero went to
| the presidency of the Mexican republic
| through his ability to get arms from
OF Madero are in good shape possibly
F! to overturn him through the same op-
portunities. The action today Will have
much to do with Strengthening Madero.
| it is said, if Congress acts promptly
and sends the amendment to the White
| House.
The Treasury Department has held that
| there is no law to stop commercial SHIP
mentS through Ell PaSO or elsewhere into
| Mexico and IL these shipments contain
| arms they cannot be he'd up any more
than a shipment of dry goods. The army
| officers along the border have complained
| bitterly against this, claiming that these
| shipments Of arms were aiding the chaos
and making the future uncertain.
Opposed to Intervention.
Those present at the conference were
heartily in accord with President Taft's
determination to resist Intervention by
| this country The President does not feel
that the demand for Intervention repre-
! sents anything like popular sentiment in
this country. It comes from along the
border, where the people are irritated over
the turmoil and the disturbance to busi-
| ness
| The President regrets this, Of course.
but the idea Of plunging the country into
| q long, severe and costly war is more
| than the President proposes to contem-
plate And Intervention, 1t is admitted.
| would mean war. 1t is claimed there are
no patriotic reasons why there should
be interference in the Affairs or Mexico.
| such as Intervention would mean. but. on
| the contrary, there are appalling facts
| why there should not be intervention, ex-
| cept as last resort.
There is little question that Intervention
| would mean the unifcation of all Mexi-
| cans to fight this country, and in the end
the United States would incur the hos
tility of all the South and Central Amer
| lean countries, with tremendous loss
of business and prestige. A long cam
| paien in a tropical climate would follow,
| necessitating at least 200 600 soldiers and
| the practical suspension OF a business
with Latin Americans now amounting to
| $3.50 100000 a year. The lives and in
yestments of Americans would be jeop-
ardized, and one estimate Is that the
eventual cost to this country would be
hu Toff