The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-19

a contest as has been waged in Mexico | for years, 1t is not only fair but neces- sary to assume that every intelligent man of any prominence is at heart on one side the other and the country might well question the patriotism of any Mexican who has been colorless in such contest. and as the provisional President must be to some extent identified with one party or the other it necessarily fol- lows that to meet the requirements of the present situation his sympathes, which really mark the man, must be with the dominant element
 'The effort therefore should be not to find a neutral, but one whose attitude on the controlling issues would make him acceptable to the constitutionalists while his character, standing and con- duct would make him acceptable to ths other party
 Such man. and only such a man, can reasonably be expected to have the confidence and respect of the entire coun- try. If those discussed do not possess the requisite qualifications it is only because We have not succeeded in finding what We ought. You can quite we'll appreciate how difficult it is for us under the circumstances to do more than we have and to further promise diligently and earnestly to continue the search Tn answer to the contention that there could not be fair elections con- ducted by provisional government of which constitutionalist is President the answer of the Americans call at
 tention to the fact that in the past the elections in Mexico have been under the supervision of single cabinet
 minister representing the dominant party. By analogy the next election should be supervised by only one of- ficer representing the dominant con- stint iona list 11ar rfy rba A .1. seeks to avoid the just criticism against that method and contemplates that this. the most important election in the history of Mexico, shall be su- pervised by representatives of both parties.
 Tt is wholly incorrect to assume that thus supervised it will be un- fairly conducted and you may rest as sured that all the influence the United States can legitimately use will be ex- erted to secure an honest election In deed it is the earnest desire of our government that the permanent Pres ident shall be chosen in a manner so free from objection that his title to that high office and the confidence and respect of his people will be strength ened by the knowledge that he rep resents their free and unfettered choice at an election held not by one party as in the past, but by representatives
 of both factions.
 Tt is true that the American plan
 proposes that a majority of this board
 shall be constitutionalsts but that is
 because they now represent the senti-
 ment of the majority of the people of
 Mexico and on which we must insist
 has been formulated solely with that
 end in view. Actuated by these motives
 we feel that we may appeal to you
 and through you to other Mexican rep
 resentatives to read again our plan in the light of these words"
 Critical Period Expected In view of opposite views expressed by the American and Mexican dele gations in their public utterances. the next conference, it was admitted. would bring perhaps the most critical and delicate moment of the mediation pro- ceedings. The mediators intend to sub init five of six names which they have selected out of a big list Among these may be found one who is suitable but the atmosphere was pessimistic to- night it would cause general surprise if this occurred.
 The break between Carranza and Villa has given some observers the feeling that the American delegates
 might, as heretofore, not insist now on Mexican high up in the eonstitu- tionalist ranks but would urge a man In high sympathy with the principles Of the revolution--a progressive. As hope of the possibility of change in sentiment at tomorrow's meeting, the general feeling was that mediation could not last much longer because of the irreconcilable position now talk en
 by the American and Huerta delegates in public statements.
 Probe Servants Disappearance
 Mexico City, June 1s-Jose M. Cardoso
 de Oliveira, Brazilian minister to Mex
 leo. today called at the Mexican foreign
 office regarding the case of Gregario Al
 carez, the Filipino servant of Captain
 Rush. of the battleship Florida who wa s
 captured at Cordoba sometime ago and
 brought here on a charge of being a
 spy. Although later 1t was reported AL
 carez had been released, he still is miss-
 irp