The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1914-05-21
PEACE CONFERENCE
PRESIDENT WILSON TELL u. s.
DELEGATES TO BE IN "A RE-
cEPTvE MOOD.
REBEL LEADERS ARE SILENT
Huerta Sends Word He Is Willing TO
Resign--Who viii Succeed
Him?

Washington. President Wilson told
the American commissioners who LETT
for the mediation conference at Mag
ara Falls, Ontario, that the United
States government regards the settle
ment of the Mexican problem in a
definite form as prerequisite to the
withdrawal Of the American forces
from Vera Cruz.
The president gave the American
commissioners Justice Lamar Of the
Supremec curt Of the United States;
Frederick w. Lehman, former solicit
tor general and diplomatic secretary,
and H. Perceval Dodge no specific
instructions. He told them to place
themselves in a receptive mood and
await proposals from the three South
American mediators.
But at the same time he outlined to
his representatives that peace in
Mexico seemed to him to be condi-
tional on the elimination of the Huerta
administration, and the establishment
in its place Of a strong provisional gov
eminent which would conduct an cleo
ton giving fair treatment to all fac
lions and parties and guaranteeing,
moreover, a solution of the agrarian
problem and other internal difficulties
which have bred revolution in the
Southern republic during the last
three years.
The president wishes the Mexican
question settled on comprehensive
lines that will take into account the
economic principles for which zapata
in the south as well as Carranza in
the north have been fighting and at
the same time will conserve the right
full interests of the people in the terri
tory now controlled by the Huerta
government
Huerta offers to Resign.
During the day a dispatch came to
one of the foreign diplomats here from
a diplomatic source in Mexico City,
stating that General Huerta was ready
to resign and would permit his repre-
sentatives at the mediation conference
to eliminate him if it should become
absolutely necessary. Intimations
that have come from the three Huerta
delegates since their visit to this coun-
try showed that they had realized that
Huerta's elimination was regarded as
essential to a settlement and knew from
the outset that unless they came pre-
pared to deal with this phase Of the
problem their efforts would be use
less.
Who Will Succeed Huerta.
The problem causing chief concern
to diplomats in Mexico City now is
that of the form of administration to
be established during the interim be-
fore constitutionally elected presi-
dent could assume office. No intima-
lions concerning the name Of posi-
BILE successor to Huerta were contained
in the dispatch, this subject being one
in which it would be necessary to con-
suit opinion of Constitutionalist and
other leaders in Mexico.
Rebel Leaders Are Silent.
In Constitutionalist quarters, the talk
of a compromise arrangement by which
Huerta would retire in favor Of a neu-
trail person and cabinet who would con-
duct an election and guarantee GER
tain Immediate reforms has not yet
made much Of an appeal. Constitu-
tionalist representatives here say their
military campaign is daily growing
more aggressive, and that in another
month they will have settled the Mex
lean question by forcibly taking pos
session of Mexico City. AS to media
ton, they insist that the mediators
never have answered General Carran-
za's last telegram, in which he sought
to know the exact purposes Of the me-
diation before sending a representa-
tive to Niagara Falls The last word
from the mediators to Carranza was
that in view of his refusal to suspend
hostilities with Huerta they must with
draw their invitation for him to par
ticipate in the mediation In many
quarters here it is believed Carranza's
inquiry eventually will be answered
after the negotiations proceed to
more definite stage, and that the medi-
ators then will submit their plans TO
him.