The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-06-17
MEXICAN PROTOCOL SIGNED,
TIE PEACE PLAN AT LAST
MAKES PROGRESS.
INC Elimination OF Hucrta IS Said to
5c Assured and McdiatOrS Will
Now Take up Formation of Pro-
visiOnal Governments.

Niagara Falls, Ont, June 12-Del-
egates from the United States and the
Huerta government today formally
affixed their signatures in the pres
ence of the mediating representatives
OF Argentina, Brazil and Chile to
the first protocol Of the series through
which it is hoped to restore peace in
Mexico. The agreemnt as to the
manner Of transferring executive
power from Huerta to the new provi
sion stood the acid test of reduction
to writing. 1t provides that
"A government is to be constituted
In Mexico of q character to be later
provided, which shall be recognized
by the United States or (date to be
fixed) and which from that day for
ward shall exercise public functions
until there shall be inaugurated a
constitutional president"
The brief procOtOl was significant in
two things. 1t makes no mention cf
Gen. Huerta as the provisional presi
dent and it Omits the method
of transfer which the Mexican
delegates and mediators suggested and
to which the United States objected
on the ground that it's retention would
be tantamount to recognition of the
existing regime. The Mexican plan
provided that Huerta should name as
minister Of foreign affairs man
agreed on here for provisional presi-
dent.
The Mexican delegates, while aban-
doning the constitutional form Of sue
cession as part Of the protocol, are
satisfied because it does not specfi-
cally deny Huertas right to name as
minister of foreign affairs the man
chosen here for provisional president
if the latter sees fit to accept desig-
nation from him.
1t is not considered probable, how
ever, that the new provisional prcsi-
dent, who is likely to be constitu-
tiOnalist, would take the executive
power directly from IIuerta but ne
might do so from some other indi-
vidual whom Huerta might leave in
authority.
All parties now are concentrating
on the second part Of the peace plan
which relates to the naming Of the
provisional president and possibly will
include his cabinet of four
Though the protocol is of compar-
atively few words, it is the embodi-
ment of that for which the United
States has been striving for more tho n
a ycar-elimination of Hucrta. With
Huertas formal statement of his in
tention to withdraw when Mexico was
politically pacilicd todays proto-
col takes for granted that such n
pacification will occur and arranges
for the transition.
The question Of constitutionalist
representation here is still an open
one. The mOderatOrs say they will I OF
officially admit the Carranza dole
gates unless they agree to an armis-
tice. 1t is not doubted, though, that
some way may be found for the cun-
stitutionalists to participate in the
peace parleys after they arrive.
Members Of the mediating colony
tonight were united in optimistic
spirit for the first time since the con-
ferences opened. With one block &C.
mented firmly in place, every one was
hopeful that the work done today will
prove to be the solid cornerstone
from which the entire structure Of the
peace plan will rapidly arise.