New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-26
WILSON, RIGHT OR NOT,
IS BACKED BY FRANCE
Even Surprising American Pol
icy Wrong, She Recognizes
Primary Rights of u. S.
FRIENDSHIP HER KEYNOTE
Believes Attitude Toward Mex
leo Not the Best, but Holds
That European Opposition
Would Be UnWise.
IRy Cable 10 The Tribune. J

IRy Cable to The Tribune.l
Paris. oct. 25.-General Huerta's dec
laration TO the foreign powers causes
no change of attitude or feeling III
France concerning the Mexican PROB
lem. The policy of the French gov
eminent is strictly confined to the pro-
lection of French citizens and property
fully recognizing that the United states
has primary rights in regard TO diplo-
matte initiative, military or naval
demonstration or eventual interven-
ton.
The amount Of French capital in
vested in Mexico, especially in banks.
tramways and municipal concessions
Is estimated at more than SlOo,WroOo.
scattered all over the country. A lead
ing French banker remarked to-day to
The Tribune correspondent;
1--WE don't care a straw who is Presi-
dent or dictator or de facto ruler OF
Mexico, so long as our financial and in
dustrial enterprises there are not in
terfered with"
The Tribune correspondent is as
sured on the highest authority that a
friendly understanding with the United
States is the keynote of French policy
concerning Mexico. Even supposing
President Wilson's Mexican policy to
be wrong, the French government re-
allies that the people Of the United
States as a whole stand behind the
President, whose position would be-
come stronger and more popular in
mathematical proportion to an opposi-
ton manifested toward it by England
or any of the European powers.
Think England Stole March.
Notwithstanding this. purely theo-
retical academic conviction prevails in
diplomatic circles here that the Wilson
Mexican policy from the outset is not
the best that might have been en-
ployed for American and Mexican in
| terests. For instance. the opinion is
expressed here that Great Britain, by
promptly recognizing Huerta as de
| facto provisional ruler, stole a march
on the United States and secured a
material advance over American COM
petitors in gaining advantages in Mex
| leo for English commercial and indus
trial interests.
A prominent statesman told The
! Tribune correspondent that Huerta's
| declaration appeared 10 be supreme
effort to sow dissension between the
| Washington Cabinet and the European
governments, and in this respect it was
heavily discounted by the French For
eign Office.
lie Temps" in its leading editorial,
considers the Washington Cabinets de-
cision not TO recognize as valid the re-
suits Of to-morrow's Mexican elections,
owing to the unconstitutional condi-
tions under which they will take place,
will have an effect exactly contrary TO
what President Wilson seems 10 cx-
pect, and cannot fail TO strengthen the
power and popularity of Huerta. con-
centrate his authority and enable him
to secure the tacit national sanction by
the Mexican electors for his provisional
management.
Finds Wilson Policy Checkm ated.
lie Temps" finds that the idealist
| policy Of President Wilson has been
| checkmated by the trained and expert
enced diplomacy exerted by the British
Minister, Sir Lionel Garden, who is "a
formidable adversary TO the improvised
diplomatist, John Lind, in a country
that Lind has scarcely before visited
and Of even the language Of which ne
| is ignorant. SO far England. accord
ing to lie Temps" has the advantage
in the diplomatic duel in Mexico with
the Washington Cabinet.
| Diaz Lombardo, formerly Mexican
Minister in Paris and now the head Of
| the Constitutionalist committee, has Is
sued a protest against the reactionary
press campaign in Europe, which is at
tributed 10 Huerta. and strongly ap-
proves President Wilson's decision not
to recognize the results Of Sunday
elections, which, according to Lom-
bardo, are absolutely unconstitutional.
Senior Lombardo declares he has pri-
vate and trustworthy news from Mex
leo showing Huerta to be nearly at
the end of his tether." Senior Lom-
| bardo complains that the European
press, and especially the Paris lie
Temps" IS been misinformed, having
no idea of the true Mexican problem,
which must be solved without any for
eign intervention and solely by Mexi-
! cans.