Imperial Valley press., 1914-06-16
MEDIATION
EXPENSIVE AT FALLS
(BY FRED S. FERGUSON)
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent

ference, after conference, this neck of
the woods is dull and uninteresting
spot for Mr.. Ordinary Man. Far back
through the ages the cry of all revo-
lutionists has been to restore the
lands to the poor poems of Mexico,
but if poor peon showed up around
the Clifton Hotel where they are now
endeavoring to settle his affairs he
would probably not only lose his lands,
but his shirt.
1t is pay, pay, pay and the media
tors and delegates to the mediation
conferences are paying at lively
rate. When it is all put down in cold
figures the cost of the conferences here
will be astounding. After the first
furry when special correspondents and
near diplomats from every direction
focked into Niagara Falls the colony
has now simmered down until there are
approximately Sc, including the media
tors and their suites, the Americans,
MeXicans and newspaper correspond
entS. A conservative estimate of the
average cost of "mediating" to each of
these 56 is $25 a day in hotel bills,
meals and automobile hire This makes
the average daily ordinary Giving ex-
penses" of the colony $1400 per day
Figuring on this basis mediation in
the Mexican trouble has. cost $4,000.
But war for the same length of time
would have cost far more, not to men,
tion casual ties.
This does not, of course, include the
salaries of clerks and the various sec
retaries of the three mediators, the
American and Mexican delegates.
There. is also the incstimable amount
spent in telegraph tolls by newcpap-
ers; tie cost of transmitting long code
messages between the Prospect House
and Washington; similar messages re-
ceived and sent from Mexico City
and the communication the mcdiators
have had with their own countries.
But meditating is 4 great little sport
with 70 time for thought as to ex-
penses. The following is the general
sche ne of mediation as followed at
Niagara Falls:
At II o'clock each morning da Cana,
of Brazil; Moan, of Argentina and
Suarez, of Chilli, go to their confer
ence room. There is no set schedule
for the holding of conversations with
the Mexican or American delegates.
Sometimes an engagement may be
made in advance, but not often. After
gathering in the conference room and
diplo natically discussing the carpet on
the t'oor or the weather, the Mexi-
cans or Americans may be invited to
appear or ask that they be heard. If
it is the Americans who are to be
heard, the State Department chauffcr
is aroused from the rear seat of his
machine and he rolls up in front Of
the Prospect House. Justice Lamar,
Frederick w. Lehman and their Sec
retary H. Percival Dodge, followed by
Robert F. Rose, ponderous representa-
tive of the State Department, enter.
The car progresses from the Pros
pect House to the Bridge where the
envoys Dodge, Rose and the chauffer
pay ten cents each to pass on to Can
ada. Tie car circles the Clifton Hote;.
Across the river the Falls arc roaring
and glistening in the sunlight. Stop
ping at the door the mediation dele
cation alights, automatically and with
great dignity. Judge Lehman, how
ever, can't suppress laugh and so
he laughs. Newspapermen greet the
delegates and learn nothing. They en-
ter the elevator, ascend to the con-
ference room, the doors are closed
and the mediation is on.
The secret service guard at the Cliff
ton has been reduced by two men, but
whenever a conversation is in pro-
gress pair of the Kings sleuths pace
back and forth before the door. They
march solemnly and with dignity be-
fitting the occasion. After a time
the American delegates come down
stairs. Justice Lamar may or may
not have something to say. He is ex-
tremely careful of every word he uses.
He talks slowly and with extreme eau
ton. When he is through the job of
the newspapermen is to decide what
he meant.
Justice Lamar compares the work of
the correspondents here to fishing in
bath 'ub. When there are no develop
ments, he will say:
"Now, there really are no fish in
this tub. There is nothing to say"
At other times he will declare:
"There are fish in the tub this time
all right, but | can't tell you what
they are" Interviewed alone the JUS
tlce is very pleasant. 1t seems actual