Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-18
FIRST PROTOCOL IS
SIGNED At NIAGARA
Omits Mention Of Huerta as Pro.
visiOnal President, and the
Method of Succession.

Niagara Falls. Ont. June 12-Dele-
gates from the United States and the
Iluerta government to-day formally af-
fixed their signatures in the presence
of the mediating representatives of Ar
sentina Brazil and Chile to the first
protocol of the series through which it
is hoped to restore peace in Mexico.
The agreement reached Yesterday in
relation to the manner of transferring
the executive power from the hands of
Huerta to the new provisional govern
ment stood the acid test of reduction to
writing. 1t provides:
"A government to be constituted in
Mexico of a character to be later pro-
vided. which shall he recognized by the
United States on date to be ixed), and
which from that day forward shall exer-
else public functions until there shall
be inauguratcd a constitutional presi-
dent"
HUERTA NOT MENTIONED.
This plank in the peace plan, protocol
lized after more than three weeks of dis
cussion, was significant of two things:
1t makes no mention of General Huerta
as the provisional president and stated
in the Associated Press desatchos last
night, it omits the method of transfer
which the Mexican delegates and media
tors uggested and to which the United
States stronuously objected on the grounds
that its retention would be tantamount to
recognition of the existing regime
The omission of reference to the method
of succession and the fiat statement that
on a certain date a provisional govern
ment shall arise in Mexico to which the
United States will accord recognition sat
isles the insistence of the American dele
gates that no steps should he taken that
could be construed as recognition of
Huerta.
WILL BE CONSTITUTIONALIS
The Mexican delegates on the other
hand, while abandoning the constitu-
uonal form of succession, as a part of
the protocol, are satisfied because It
does not specifically deny General
Huerta's right to name as minister of
foreign affairs the man chosen here
for provisional president, if the latter
sees fit to accept designation from him.
1t is not considered probable that
the new provisional president-since
he is most likely to be a constitu-
tionalist-would take the executive
power directly from General Huerta.
but he might do so from some other
individual whom Huerta might leave
In authority before the day arrives for
the mediation made government to
take office.
MAY INCLUDE CABINET.
AS for the American delegates, they
consider the method of transfer closed
incident and of no further concern to
the United States, All parties are now
concentrating on the second part of the
peace plan, which will form another pro-
tocol. 1t relates to the name of the provi-
sional president and possibly will in
clude his cabinet OF four. Names have
not yet been suggested, but the next
conferences will be devoted entirely to a
discussion OF individuals.
Though the protocol is composed Of
comparatively few words, it is the en-
bodiment of that for which the United
States has been striving or more than a
year-eliminauon of Huerta. When his
delegates to-day signed a protocol for
mally agreeing that the transfer of au-
thority shall take place on date to be
fixed there was no mention Of General
Huertas retirement but the Significance
of the written document was not lost on
the mediation colony generally.