The Sentinel=record., 1914-05-08


 present time there exists a condition which at any moment may require the fullest and most effective use of the regular army of the United States
 Senator Chamberlain declared the 1 bill was not the result of any confer ence with the president or the sec retary of war.
 A significant evidence of military preparedness came from Colonel Goethals, governor of the Panama canal zone, who reported that de- tachments of troops had been sta toned at main points along the canal to protect the locks
 Notwithstanding the fact that Car ranza will not be represented by dele gates at the mediation conference, it was stated authoritatiyely that the plan presented by the mediators would cover the pacificataion of all Mexico. The mediators consider the elimination of Carranza, it was said, has simplified matters.
 The peace plan, it was learned, will not be formulated until negotiations at Niagara Falls shall have produced basis of information and an eX- change of views between the media tors and the delegates and until everything to be presented by dele gates of both sides shall have been fully considered and sifte~.
 In this connection it was pointed out here today that there seemed to be a mistaken idea that the media tion proceedings were in the nature of d protocol, whereas the efforts of the mediators will be advisory and not arbitral. The negotiations in Niagara Falls, 1t was explained, will be to work out plan acceptable to all parties.
 There is no disposition, it was said, to regard the advance of the consti- tutionalist forces as an imminent danger, the mediators being inclined according to reliable information, to believe that they have ample time to make definite progress with their mediation proceedings before any de velopments could interfere with their efforts.
 The administration is keeping its own counsels as to mediation. This has given rise to two conflicting views, one that President Wilson and his advisers look forward confidently to the success of mediation, the Oth CT that official Washington has lost hope in mediation and is viewing the Niagara Falls conference largely as academic. So far as can be learned, in the absence of an authoritative statement, neither of these views is quite correct.
 The policy of silence has been due, high officials declare, to a desire to avoid anything open to possible con struction as being an effort to influ- ence the mediators. Those within the administration councils say the most responsible officials sincerely desire that mediation succeed.
 Although seeing in mediation a chance of relieving the administra- tion from one of it's heaviest burdens, officials do not propose, it is said, to let give-and-take of mediation lead to the waiver of anything considered es- sential to the maintenance of Ameri- can honor and rights.
 Reports during the day showed that while American refugees con tinued their exodus from Mexico City and the south, conditions in northern Mexico had so improved that Ameri- cans felt justified in venturing back to reopen their mines. The American consulate at Cananea, Sonora, was reopened by Consular Agent Mon tague. Plans for the return of British and American operatives to the Tam pico oil fields were interfered with by an unexpected notification from the federal commander that no for eigners could land so long as foreign warships remained at Tampico. Both federals and constitutionalists earlier had invited the oil men to return un- der promise of protection, and Gen eral Huerta, according to information reaching the state department today, had issued an order to federal off cials in the Tampico district to this effect.
 A delegation of representatives of American oil interests at Tampico who have just returned to the United States cal ed at the navy department today and told Secretary Daniels that the United States should police Mex ico and permit the resumption of oil operations. Later they saw the presi- dent Secretary Daniels told his visi- tors they ought to he thankful they had escaped with their lives.
 Representatives of oil interests told Secretary Bryan that because of their enforced absence from Mexico title to their leases is being transferred to rivals. This is understood to mean that British concessioners are the beneficiaries These titles are being transferred in Mexico City and some Americans claim they face financial ruin in consequence. The story was current in some quarters that the