Evening star., 1914-08-16
Control of Mexico City Begins
Under Two Striking
Conditions.
MUCH INTEREST CENTERS
IN STAND OF GEN. VILLA
Stays at Own Base of Operations.
Another War in Near Future
Not improbable.
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.
Control of Mexico at the capital city
by those who were once the rebels be-
gins under two striking conditions One
is that the plan of Guadalupe prevails,
the other is that Villa, once hailed as
the conqueror. is not there.
The plan of Guadalupe means military
government with Carranza for the time
being as provisional supreme head
Whether there will ever be a peaceful
transition to genuine constitutional
government is for the future TO deter
mine.
For the present it is military rule and
nothing less. Carranza and his closest
circle from the beginning have insisted
on adherence to the plan of Guadalupe
TO which all the insnrgent generals were
once pledged, because any other plan
would have lessened their power.
Question to Be Answered.
1t is the Carranza administration with
which the United States and other for
eign countries must deal. The State De-
partment has already found that Car
ranza is difficult individual to deal
with. The open question is whether he
will become more stiff necked. or wheth-
er with the actual responsibilities of the
government of Mexico, on him and his
followers he will give an administration
which will command the confidence OF
influential Mexicans and of foreign gov
ernments.
The conditions are favorable for test
ing the real opacity of the constitu-
ttonalists. European countries in
volved as they are in war among them
selves are not in a position to make
concerted dema nds on the new govern
dinlomafir
stead Of acting as a body will, through
force of circumstances, be compelled to
act separately and individually. About
all they will be able to do will be
to look after the protection of the
lives of their nationals who remain in
Mexico. The foreign claims which it
was expected would be the gravest
embarrassment will be held in abey-
ance for time.
q. s. to Be Held Responsible.
The United States, notwithstanding
the unsatisfactory attitude which Car
rama heretofore has maintained, has
every reason for wishing his govern
ment success. Enough complications
are arising on the European horizon
to make it desirable that Intervention
beyond moral one be avoided at all
hazards, II possible. But every one
knows that the United States will be
uelu TeSpOnSlDle TOT Wnat goes
Mexico from now on.
Carranza has every incentive to act in
accordance with the wishes of Washing
ton. because even he knows that without
recognition of his government by the
United States it can get no recognition
from other countries. The A B powers
as the outcome of their mediation, are
also expected to recognize the new gov
ernment in conjunction with the United
States
The constitutionalists have shown SO
much contempt for the mediating coun-
tries and SO great difference to their
recommendations that in itself this rec
ognition Is not apt to influence Carranza
and his advisers. But since it is assumed
that the United States will not recognize
the Carranza government unless the me-
dating powers are also ready to recog-
nize 1t. the position of the mediating
countries has a certain Importance to
the constitutionalists.
First Test for New Regime.
The ability Of the new government to
maintain order will be the first test. The
reported deal of Tapata with the consti-
tutionalist leaders. and his alleged readi-
ness to support the new regime removes
one element of uncertainty.
The attitude of the Carranza admins
.ration toward the federals and the ele-
ment which did not join the insurrection
is still a problem. The proscriptive spiTf
has been shown. but this may be moih-
fed when the Carranzaistas are IN actual
possession of the offices and are dlspen-
sing the patronage. Desire for the pa
tronage has been a potent factor IN lhe
constitutionalist campaign Now tnat
they have won. they are entltied 10 the
spoils and it is not likely that any sur
yjyfng Huertistas or cienuhcos remain
to dispute possession with them
One Reassuring Fact.
So far as the maintenance of order
goes. the fact that Gen. Obregon, with
his Sonora troops. is In command. Is
reassuring The Sonora soldiers We're
the best type of the insurgents to be
found in Mexico. Gen. Obregon him
self, although he justified and practiced
the execution of federal prisoners OF
war, Is among the best OF the constltu-
tionalist commanders. He is also free
from the intense animosities OF some or
The other generals.
Assuming that there will be no mas
sacres and that the constftutionaiist
occupation of the capital will not be a
carnival of loot and plunder, the eyes
of the United States will be on the
measures Of the provisional cabinet
with which Carranza surrounds him
self, the measures for the election or a
congress and the steps to be taken to
keep the pledge of establishing consti-
tutional government.
Villa Not in the Capital.
Meanwhile villa is not at Mexico
City. After his victory at Torreon 1t
was assumed that If the insurgents
ever got control of the capital it would
be through the entry of Villa as the
head of a conquering army. When Gen.
Gonzales and the other Carranza gem
erals took TanSpico without Villas aid.
and Gen. Obregon extended his control
of the Pacific coast territory, Villa S
star ceased to be the only one in the
sky. 1t was quietly conceded that Car
rama would be able to maintain his
position as first chief of the revolution.
nommally, at least.
Then came the friction between the
Villaistas and the Carranzaistas, Villa
seizure and Imprisonment of the Car
rama officials in. Chihuahua. and other
measures by which he showed that he
meant to remain master of northern
Mexico at least. After that followed the
Torreon conference. when a truce was
patched UP. The program as given out
was for the three divisions of the army
to enter Mexico. that of the Pacific un-
der Obregon, of the center under Villa
and of the northeast under Gonzales. II
was pretty program, but it did not