New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-12
mand which Mayo made is not presseu

mand which Mayo made is not pressed
10 a satisfactory conclusion.
sneculation centres on what will be
the outcome of the present exceedingly
complicated situation in Mexico. There
are increasing indications that the time
for American action is not far on. Inc
conditions which now prevail are calcu-
lated to benefit action. This view Is
taken from two angles. In the hrst
place, conditions themselves may
shortly become such that it will be i'm
neratiye for the administration to act.
Second. the situation can be utilized by
the President to justify action.
Conditions Intolerable.
A month Ego, before the fight at Tor
reon, there was nothing in the situa-
ton upon which action could be based.
Rut now. with untoward conditions at
Tampico, chaos around Torreon and an
almost hopeless attitude on the part OF
the Constitutionalists toward this gov
eminent, the President is in excellent
position to declare TO the country that
conditions in Mexico are intolerable
and that action is necessary.
The fresh protest Of Spain finds the
State Department in some perplexity,
for. while the department has been en-
deavoring to place its Views before the
Constitutionalists, General Carranza,
leader Of the Mexican rebels, has sud-
denly departed from JuareZ, where he
was accessible to American agents at
Chihuahua. Secretary Bryan admitted
this afternoon that he did not know If
his latest communications to the Con-
stitutionalist chieftain had been de-
livered.
Relations between this government
and the Constitutionalists which hith-
erto have been friendly. the admins
tration looking with favor on the rebel
cause, are decidedly strained. and dras-
tic action may be taken shortly unless
there is a change Of attitude on the
part Of the rebels. The situation Is
such that observers here believe that
it is working around TO the point where
President Wilson will be compelled,
within the next fortnight or so, to take
some definite action regarding the
whole Mexican problem.
Wants Cotton Seized.
Evidence has been laid before the
State Department by the Spanish gov
eminent of the seizure at Torreon oy
the forces Of General Villa Of large
stores Of cotton owned by Spaniards
in warehouses and on railway cars FOR
shipment out of the country. There is
no law Of the United States which will
permit this government TO seize the
cotton when ii comes across the border
for sale in the United States. If the
cotton could be proved to be stolen
goods the case might be different, but
the seizure of ii by the leader Of the
Constitutionalist forces makes II a deli
cate problem.
Spain also has before the State De-
partment request that something be
done by this government to recover
some $4,000 worth of silver bars, now
deposited in a California bank. which
were simply taken from a Spanish
mine in Sinaloa. The seizure was made
by rebel officer and the bars shipped
to the United States. They bear the
label of the mine and can be easily
identified.
and diplomatic representations are be-
ing made to the State Department not
only through the Spanish Embassy
here, but also through Colonel Willard,
the American Ambassador in Madrid.