Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-24
BRITAIN T0PR0BE
DEATHOF BENTON
Asks U. S. to Get Villas AS
surance of Safety to Gov
ernment's Representative.

LoNDON, FEBRUARY 4.-Slr EdWdTu
Grey. British foreign secretary, told
the house of commons today Of the
latest developments in the Mexican
situation. He said Sir Cecil SPRING Rice.
British ambassador at Washington. had
been instructed yesterday to inform
the United States government that
Great Britain considered it essential
for British consul to visit the spot
where William S. Benton was killed.
Consul Perceval at Galveston had been
selected for this purpose. and he was
to supply the best reports possible re-
garding Benton's death. Sir Cecil was
instructed to ask the United States, as
Great Britain had no means of com
municating with Gen. Villa, to instruct
the United States consul at Juarez to
inform Gen. Villa and to request an as
surance that the British consul would
not be interfered with. Sir Edward Grey
read communication from the State
Department at Washington to Sir
Cecil Spring-Rice, when the British
ambassador cabled textually to the
foreign office
Text Of Communication.
1t was as follows:
The State Department desires to ad-
tons had been sent heretofore to the
American consul at Juarez to make a
most searching inquiry into the circum-
stances attending the death of William
S. Benton The consul has been in
structed to make every effort to secure
the exhumation and examination of the
body of the deceased, to take the state
ments of any and a. the witnesses whom
he can find, to employ In his investigation
Scfc fa~ M u
sirable and to do everything in his power
to elicit the facts"
The comprehensiveness of the Ameri-
can governments Instructions called forth
hearty cheers In the house of commons.
Sir Edward Grey added that no reply
had been received to his communication
concerning Perceval.
Press Comment on Benton Incident.
Sharp comment is made by the Man
chester Guardian today on Sir Edward
-ree's statement in the house of COM
mons yesterday in regard to the killing
OF Benton. The newspaper asks: SIS it
not mere playing with words to say that
in such case the United States has no
responsibility If that were SO the Mon
roe doctrine would be mere instrument
Of International anarchy, whereas the
whole tendency Of President Wilson's
order and good government. If we are
not responsible then the United States Is.
I'VE certainly do not wish to drive
the United States government into in
prevention. but it cannot deny to other
defend them itself"
The Standard. editorially. expresses
at what 1t considers the
British foreign secretary's mild atti-
t,,I ~ Y-,,s%
says:
Sir Edward Grey seems inclined to
treat the murder of Benton with cool
altogether out of harmony
with the feelings of the nation. We
desire to remain on the friendliest
terms with the United States. but can
not waive the duty of protecting our
nationals abroad, or we shall cease to
be a great power. And we cannot per-
nit the crime to go unpublished merely
tary may conceivably adopt Villas de-
Tense Of the murder az a justifiable ex-
ecution."
Calls the Killing a Brutal Crime"
The Daily Telegraph, equally dissatis-
fed, argues that the United States by,
opening its Mexican frontier to the pas
sage Of arms admittedly played into the
hands of the factions I'm whose name
the brutal crime was committed There
fore, Mr.. Bryan cannot renounce re-
sponsibility and the honor OF both coun-
tries. The Telegraph demands that the
act Of barbarity shall not go unpublished
The Daily Graphic expresses the con-
viction that President Wilson Is the last
man to make distinction between the
killing of Madero at the instance of
Huerta and the murder of Benton at the
instance of Villa, and suggests that the
United States show its displeasure by re-
Imposing the embargo on arms.
Implies British Helplessness.
Sir Edward Grey's statement" says
the Daily Mail. zig disappointing. because
il gives the impression of complete British
helplessness.
1T is true that the British govern
ment is precluded from using force in
Mexico because of its sincere regard for
the United States. 1t Is also true that
we have abandoned, we hope forever, the
idea that there can ever be any question
of the employment of force in our rela-
tons with the United States But this
does not leave Sir Edward Grey as help
less as he seems to suppose. He has on
his side all those lofty principles of jus
tice, humanity and sentiment upon which
resident Wilson relies. He has only to
mention them to carry his case and make
irresistible appeal to the United States
government"
Villa Declares Benton
Had Sought to Kill Him