The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-06-13
WOULD NAME SUCCESSOR,
UUERTA INTRODUCES NEW DIE.
FICCLTY IN WAY OF MEDIA
TION.
United States Will not Allow Him to
Name President to Succeed Himself
rs Such Action Would Mean Rccog-
milton OF IIuCrta-POint Bring,
Conference to a Halt,

dent if named according to the meth
Cd prescribed by the Mexican dele
gates, which is that Gen. Huerta would
appoint as minister Of forcing affairs
the man who is agreed on here to
head the new government.
The Washington administration
contends that if Huerta is per-
mitted to name the foreign min
lister, who by constitutional sue
cessOn would be elevated to the pres
idency, even though the selection be
made here, such an act would be
construed as recognition of the
Huerta government.
On this issue, the mcdiating pleni-
pOtentiaries came to a fiat disagree
ment late today. For more than two,
hours the mcdiators and Amcric
delegates argued in vain and it W
apparent when the conferences ended
that what hitherto had been consid-
cred a matter of detail might develop
into an obstruction.
The Mexican delegates had not dis
cussed the question at any length
with the lnediators when the latter
took it up with the Americans. AL
though the three South American dip
lomats argued strongly from the Mex
lean viewpoint there was reason to
believe tonight that the Mexican del
esates would not insist on this ar
rangement if they found the United
States absolutely determined against
it.
One Mexican delegate insisted that
the MeXcans regarded the form of
transition as a technicality which
could be dispensed with if the Amer
! lean government found it impossible
to agree to the method suggested. The
mediators contended that the forms
of the Mexican constitution should be
preserved. The American delegates
are understood to have pointed out
that the cOnstitutionalists would not
! agree to a plan of transition which
leCalized Huerta's status. Also the
American government, it was de-
clared, could not extend what would
be tantamount to recognition OF
Huerta.
There is a possibility that a COM
promise will be agreed on. Pedro
Lascurain, minister Of foreign affairs
under President Madeo, could be re-
appointed to the cabinet and succeed
to the provisional presidency and then
appoint as foreign minister the man
agreed on by all partiss for the new
provisional executive.
Lascurain is persona non grata
with the constituencies, but it is
not believed there would be objec-
ton from them to the brief tenure Of
office in order that the transition
might be effected constitutionally.
Predictions that an agreement soon
would be reached were practically
abandoned today. The counter pro-
pOsals of the American government to
the MeXicans have not yet been taken
up with the Mexican delegates, though
they received them from the media
tors earlier in the day. The days
conferences were taken up with de-
tails of the peace plan and for the
moment the question of constitutions
aliSt representation was forgotten
The answer from Gen. Carranza to
the last communication Of The media
tors is not expected materially to al
ter the mediation situation, and it is
authoritatively known that no armis-
tice will be declared by the conStitu-
tionalists-a condition on which the
mediators are insistent, and without
which the constitutionalists can not
hope for admission.
The mediators believe the claims Of
the cOnstitutiOnalists for participation
in the provisional government can
be cared for in whatever final agree
mcnt is reached here, and that il
matters little whether representatives
of CarranZa appear at the conference
The AmCican delegates maintain that
certain concessions should be made
to allow Carranza to have his agents
here.
In todayS discussion Of the form of
provisional government the American
delegates are understood to have told
the mcdiatorS that. inasmuch as Car
rama had been moving forward to-
ward und"uhtcd military conquest OF
Mexico city, il seemed essential that
the ConsttutonalistS be given ample
share in the now government. The
mcdiatorS arc not avCrSc To this but
are unwilling To transfer the McXican
government at one fun swoop to the
constitutionalist party.