Evening star., 1914-03-20
Presidents Willingness to Con-
slider Mexican Peace Pro-
posaIs From Any Quarter.
WOULD BAR NEITHER SIDE
FROM SUGGESTING PLAN
Negotiations Welcomed if Properly
Vouched For-Suggested Commits
sion to Investigate Conditions.

Following the intmation from the
White House yesterday that President
Wilson will be glad to consider any peace
proposals that will tend to draw the war
ring Mexican factions together. it was
believed in official circles today that a
way has been opened for solving the
Mexican question in case one SIDE or
the other is badly defeated in the pend
ing Torreon battle
The Presidents emphasis in informal
discussions with Gales that he does not
seek to approve or disapprove of indi-
viduals who may aspire to the presidency
OF Mexico was taken in some quarters
to show that he is not depending entire
1y on Carranza and his constitutionalists.
Carranza's recent high-handed attitude is
said to be very displeasing to the ad-
mfnlStration leaders
. IT was made plain at the White House
That the United States government will
welcome reopening of negotiations with
either Huerta OF the constitutionalists.
ihe PRESIDENTS attitude, defined more
dehnitely yesterday than ever before, is
that any government will be recognized
which Is shown clearly to be the choice
Of the Mexican populace generally. He
made it clear that he is not seeking to
choose Mexico's president
Vompl1menCS Leader.
The President spoke in complimentary
terms of Senior Portillo y Rojas, minister
OF foreign affairs of Mexico, who has
been mentioned as a possible successor
to Huerta should the latter take the field
at the head Of his army. 1t was said,
however, that the President has no Off
cial report Of any conferences between
Sen0r Portillo Rojas and John. Lind
at Vera Cruz
| One of the suggestions made to Pres
ident Wilson lately contemplates the
sending of a commission of Americans
of prominence to investigate condi-
tions in Mexico. Unofficial reports
have had 1t that both Carranza and
| sion. President Wilson is carefully
considering the suggestion. said to
| have been made originally by Oscar s.
Straus, former ambassador to Turkey
peace.
| The President, it Is known, would be
| glad to send such a commission if il
| could assist the Mexican factions in ar.
friving at an agreement, but it is believed
| he feels that actual peace proposals must
necessarily originate with the Mexican
| factions. and that unless the commission
| were invited to go to Mexico its erranG
would be- fruitless. mediation OF the same
sort having previously been rejected BY
| both Mexican factions.
Water Works at Tampico Damaged.
Explanation Of the reported destruc-
tion of the water works at Tampico
which would imperil the large foreign
element there in violation Of the agree
ment between American naval officers
and Gen. Agui1ar Of the constitutional
| lists, Is contained In an overnight WIRE
| less message from Rear Admiral
Fletcher at Tampico. He says:
| Reports indicate that there are nc
Altimara (about twenty mile9. Neither
| side has advanced its outposts. The
| federals withdrew their guard from the
| waterworks and the constitutionalists
disabled the pump. requiring about eigh,
days repairs. The guards have been re.
placed at the waterworks and no serious
| shortage of water is anticipated"
No reports, official or unofficial, were
received here today regarding the fight.
| Ing around Torreon, even agents of the
constitutionalists saying they had re
ceived no news from the front for tive
days. They had word, however, that q
rebel force under Gen. Obregon is march
ing down the west coast of Mexico to en-
ter the state Of Jalisco.
Alleged "Unpleasant Commentary p
Representative Hulings of Pennsyl.
vania. who told the House Of Representa-
tives yesterday that he had known Presi-
dent Diaz and also the late William 8.
Benton. Englishman. who was shot in
Mexico, declared in his speech on the
Mexican situation that 1t is an unpleas-
ant commentary on American diplomacy
when American lives have been destroy.
| ed to have no notice taken of such de-
! struction until a British citizen Is MUIR
| dered.
| THE time has come when something
should be DONE" he said. "Watchfu
| waiting has accomplished nothing. A
diplomacy that has no other plan than
for something to turn up has been tested
| to the limit. Deploring war as much as
any one, no one will rejoice more than
| If force can be avoided but l begin to
despair Of the laissez faire policy"
ESCAPES MEXICAN CAPTORS..