The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-18
Impression That Diplomacy
Has About Been Exhaust
ed Toward Mexico
NO ULTIMATUM HAS
EVER BEEN ISSUED
Failure of Negotiations With Car
rama Has Only Added to Diff
culties of the Ameri-
can Position
BY C. e. STEWART

washington, November h-(SpeciaI) }
Outside of administration circles, Wash
ington is as much in the dark concern
ing the future relations between this
government and Mexico as the great mass
of American citizens in the United
States, who are watching the diplomatic
struggle between President Wilson and
the state department on the one hand,
and Dictator Huerta on the other.
In spite of all reports to the contrary
this government has made no contingent
demands of Huerta Representations
through our representatives in Mexico
City to Huerta as to the advisability of
his REIMBURSEMENT of the reins of gov
ernment, have not been aeeonA lnied with
a hint of the probable action of this
government in case he does not comply.
In other words no ultimatum has been
delivered.
Huerta has simply been told that any
attempt to make a permanent organiza-
ton of the recently elected Mexican
Congress, or further steps looking to
his retention of the office OF President
of Mexico would be displeasing to the
United States. What this government
proposes to do about it, If he resists the
pressure of Washington, and of those for
eign governments which have recently
fallen into line with President Wilson'S
policy, has not been made clear.
Resort to Unequivocal Terms
If Huerta continues his defiance to the
wishes of this government in face of the
support of foreign governments to our
policy, it is difficult to see how the
United States can long delay in serving
the dictator with notice in plain and un-
equivocal terms that he must either va
cate the presidency or take the conse-
quences, and the consequences viii be in
tervention, or invasion or whatever it
may be.
President Wilson has been loathe to
force the issue. Through diplomacy he
has sought to straighten out the tangle
in Mexico, and has studiously endeav-
ored to avoid the possibility of a con-
fict But he has made 1t plain that HUI
erta must retire; in this contention he
now has the support of Great Britain, and
the acquiescense of the other powers
who are interested II Huerta refuses TO
with dignity do other than lay down the
law and put the issue right up to Huerta.
to get out or fight, is hard to see. g,sz
Carranza Disappointment
There might have been some hope of
another course, and was, until the re-
cent overtures made through Special En-
voy William Bayard Hale to the rebel
chieftain Carranza, and the failure of
that Individual to give the administra
tion any hope that the difficulties in
Mexico could be terminated through him.
Carranza is flatly opposed to interven-
ton or mediation in Mexico, and plainly
conveys the impression that If the United
States furnishes the rebels with arms
and ammunition, that such favors will
be received thankfully, but they must
be made gratuitously and uncondition-
ally.
After Hales experience with Carranza
for this government to furnish the rebels
with arms and ammunition would be
grave mistake, for undoubtedly should
subsequent events make is necessary
and there is no guarantee, that they
would not-for the United States to in
tervene, it is plain thatswe would not
only have to fight Huerta, but the rebels
as well, and We would only be putting
guns In the hands OF the enemy to use
against us.
In view of the undisputed fact that
there would be united Mexico in case
OF intervention by the United States, there
vanishes all hope that we might arm
the rebels in order that they might bring
about the overthrow of Huerta.
Foreigners FOresee Intervention
Tt is significant that the foreign pa
pers can see but one termina ton of the
Mexican muddle and that is interven-
ton. The London Times says.
IF Preside MT Wilson can secure firm
and honest government In Mexico without
preliminary season of bloodshed and
chaos, he will perform very difficult
diplomatic feat"
The tone of the British press is strong
in support of the President, and even
when the government wavered. the press
did not. That may be one of the diff
culties; the support of foreign powers,
and the sentiment of the foreign press
is fast cementing upon the United States
the responsibility for action in Mexico,
and the longer it Is drawn out the more