Evening star., 1914-05-12
DEMAND FOR SETTLEMENT
OF THREE PROPOSITIONS
Fate of Deputy and Vice Consul Sill
liman Not Satisfactorily
Determined.
THE LOBos ISLAND INCIDENT
Matters Discussed In Cabinet Today,
President Wilson and His Ad-
visers Not Satisfied of Huerta's
Sincerity.

Sincerity.
Three grave questions affecting the
policy of the government in its conduct of
affairs in Mexico were discussed at a
conference of the President with his cab
met today.
settlement Of these vexing questions
will have strong bearing on the par
ticipation by the United States in the
Mexican snediation congress. which is to
convene at Niagara Falls Monday.
While Huerta's mediating mission
steamed north from Vera Cruz and the
American delegates began plans of or
sanization. these three important phases
of the complicated Mexican situation
stood out, demanding urgent attention:
The fate of Deputy and Vice Consul
John r. Sillman. at Saltillo, who has
been held as federal prisoner, despite
assurances to this government from
Mexico City that he had not been de
| tanned.
| Disposition of FIVE South Americans
| arrested tor sniping operations at Vera
Cruz.
Settlement of the Occupation of
Lobos Island which drew protest
| from Huerta that ii was IN violation
| of the armiStice.
Release of Silliman Reported.
Secretary Bryan reported to the cabi-
net meeting that he had this morning
| been notified by lSenor Oliyera, the
Brazilian minister in Mexico City. that
the Huerta government had ordered the
immediate release of Vice Consul Sill
| man at Saltillo. Senior Olivera assured
| the State Department that as
| MIR. Siiliman reached Mexico City he
| lhtptn Far m s;lf fn tIEt N
Vera Cruz
But in view of previous assurances
from Huertas $ foreign minister hat Mr..
Silliinan was not under arrest and would
| be brought safely to the Mexican capi-
| tai. the President and his advisers con-
| sidered questions of redress if tnis new
promise of release is not promptly kept
Mr.. Bryan's Disclosures.
! Secretary Bryan let ii be known that
| the Brazilian ambassador and the Ar
gentne and Chilean ministers. as me
diators, had made formal representa-
tions to the State Department in behalf
of the South Americans charged with
firing at American troops from a Nor
wegian vessel Mr.. Bryan declined to
disclose the nature of these represen-
tations. but said that an investigation
was being made.
/ He understood. he said that this had
been done on the ground. that the snip
ing occurred in Mexican territory lie
added that there was a question as to
whether one of the South Americans ac-
cused was Brazilian or a Venezuelan
! State and Navy department officials
strove today to minimize the impor-
tance of the Lobos Island incuent.
which caused Huerta to protest that
the landing of American forces there
to reopen the lighthouse constituted
breach of the armstice between the
Mexican federals and the United States
| army of occupation.
| Secretary Daniels said there was no
| thought of occupying the island in the
war sense of that term.
| We have no desire to take the
island, Mr. Daniels asserted.
President Maintains Hopefulness.
Members of the cabinet. after a pro-
| lonSed conference with President VIII
son today on the Mexican situation
declared the President maintained con-
\ tidence that mediation would succeed
and that further serious consequences
/ in Mexico would be averted.
Most of the discussion in the cabt-
| net meeting, it was said. related to
| mediation. and the views to be pre-
sented on behalf of this government bv
Justice Lamar and Frederick w. Leh-
mann, when the South American en-
| voys seek views of the United States
anu iuerta representatives, at the
| Niagara Falls conference
The situation at Tampico was reported
| to have been discussed. Complications
| that might arise over the foreign-owned
oil properties there should destruction
| result from the conflict between consti-
| tntionalists and federal forces have been
under consideration for some time Lack
| of definite information as to the nrog-
| ress of the battle raging at Tampico is
causing cabinet members considerable
concern.
| The report from London that Great
| Britain had ordered the Bristol,
was not regarded as particularly sgnifi-
cant here. As the Bristol is of light
draft. it was believed she might be used
to operate in the Panuco river, along
which the British oil properties are To-
Gated.
Conditions in Mexico CITY.
One response to the request of the
State Department through foreign dip
| loinatic channels here for information as
to actual conditions in Mexico City was
received today. The message stated that
the situation in Mexico City was not
abnormal: that the people were not par
ticularly alarmed over reports that the
bandit Zapata might swoop down upon
the city, and that there was no appar-
ent weakening on the part of Gen.
Husrta-
Diplomatic representatives here ex-
pressed considerable concern over tine
lack of definite information from lamp
leo, where desperate fighting is reported
between the constitutonalists and the
federals-~A dispatch four days in trans
mission reached the Netherlands lega-
ton, stating that operatives of the
Corona oil we'll. a Dutch property. who
had taken refuge with their families on
a Dutch war vessel, had retured to the
we'll and resumed operations.
sdll1man Case Most Serious.
sillimans case was the most serious
phase of the situation that loomed
ahead today. Belated reports stated that
Silliman, his clerk. Joseph A. Marchani.