The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-29
President Wilson Seriously
Considering Action, Ac-
cOrding to Reports
PRESENT POLICY is
A HELP TO HUERTA
General Villa Pledges Support to Car
rama in Statement, Saying He
Has No Ambition To Be
President

Washington. January 2s.-The ever re-
current appeal of the Mexican constitu-
tionalists that they be permitted to pur-
chase arms in the United States on an
even footing with the Huerta government
soon may be granted. Though President
Wilson and Secretary Bryan have reached
no final determination. the Washington
government today is strongly inclined TO
such a course as the next step in its
Mexican policy
| Inquiry among administration officials
today disclosed that virtually the entire
cabinet, many members of the Senate for
eign relations committee and many leaders
| in Congress generally are ready to sup
port the President should he raise the
embargo on arms by proclamation.
The defalcation by the Huerta govern
ment of the interest on its bonds, the
growing anxiety of European nations
about the financial affairs of Mexico and
| the declared intention of the constitu-
tionalists to carry the fighting into the
thiclSly populated cities of central Mexico
| are said to be underlying reasons for FUR
ther developments of the American policy
| though no official would predict today
when it would occur.
Considering Problem
That the President is giving serious con-
sderation to the question of arms is ap-
parent not alone from the trend OF his
talk to the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee, but from the evidence which daily
has been coming TO the Washington gov
ernment of the disadvantage TO which "A
denial of arms has put the constitutional
lists. The latter have argued that what
ever might be the sympathies OF the
Uniter States toward the Mexican fac
tions, they have by forbiddng expectation
of arms into Mexico helped Huerta
The chiet argument placed before Pres
ident Wilson now is that the Huerta
government has experienced little diff
Guilty in buying munitions of war in coun-
tries other than the United States, while
the constitutionalists have been cut Off
| from their only external source of supply
the American border-and that in this
/ respect the American policy is one of
partality instead of neutrality. The rea-
son for the Presidents refusal of arms
to both factions as stated in his address
to Congress last August was a desire not
to add to the bloodshed.
Though there was no understanding with
foreign governments about expectations
of arms, the United States then hoped
that the embargo on funds would be
tended to munitions of war. The failure
of this to materialze and the persistent
determination of the constltutionalists to
obtain arms by the slow process of over
coming federal garrisons has prolonged
the struggle beyond the expectations of
the Washington government. The view
among officials that to give arms to both
sides on an equality would end the reVo-
luton quickly in favor of the constitu-
| tionalists proceeds from the belief that
| the latter have more men available for
service and are financially better able to
| obtain supplies than Is the lluerta re-
gime
Would Weaken Huerta
There is a feeling among the proponents
of the plan. too that the mere announce
ment of the Washington governments s
intention to raise the embargo would
weaken the Huerta government through
out Mexico. Before finally passing on the
question 1t is believed the American gov
ernment would seek some assurance that
the lives and property of all foreigners
would be respected and that arms would
not be permitted to fall into the hands
of irresponsible bands. Official Wash
ington gossiped considerably today about
published stories that the Huerta govern
ment was getting arms from Japan and
that this was discussed at the confer
ence Monday between the, President and
the Senate foreign relations committee.
IAN old story revamped,' was the
White House view expressed through Sec
retary Tumuty Chairman Bacon of the
Senate foreign relations committee said
committee members had authorized no
information on the subject
Published reports that Japan through
the trip OF officers of the cruiser 1dsumo