Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1914-05-21

SAYS C0Ns|TUT|OuAL|sT LEADERS
Will Be In Their Power Within Thirty
Days-American Commissioners
Leave For the Mediation
Conference

SOAICTtHCes
Washinton, May 18.-President Viii
son today told the American commits
sioners who leave tomorrow for the
mediation conference at Niagara Falls
Ont, Canada, that the United States
/ government regards the settlement O
the Mexican problem in a definite form
as a prerequisite to the Withdrawal
of the American forces from Vera
Cruz.
The President gave the American
commissions ners-Justice Lamar, of the
| Supreme Court of the United States;
Frederick w. Lehman, former solic-
itor general, and diplomatic secretary
H. Perceval Dodge no specific instruc-
tions. He told them to place them
selves in a receptive mood and await
proposals from the three South Amer
lean ministers.
But at the same time he outlined
to his representatives that peace in
Mexico seemed to him to be condition
ed on the elimination and the estab-
lishment in it's place Of strong provis-
ional government which would con-
duct an election giving fair treatment
to all factions and parties, and guar
anteeing, 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 ter
ritory now controlled by the Huerta
government.
During the day a dispatch came to
one of the foreign diplomats here from
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 HUI
erta's elimination was regarded as es-
sential 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 fruit
less.
The Huerta delegates, too, it is
learned from persons who have talked
with them, understand thoroughly that
the scope of mediation now comprises
the entire Mexican problem.
They are said to be ready to recon-
mend Huerta's retirement, but only
on the condition that definite under
standing is reached on the kind OF
government that is to follow.
The military situation in Mexico
however, is giving the Washington
government some concern in the
meantime and while confidence that
mediation will be successful runs high
there are those in the cabinet and the
administration generally who are ap-
prehensive lest a sudden and unex-
pected turn of events may affect the
entire status Of the negotiations. Some
sporadic outbreak among Huerta's
troops, irresponsible hostilities against
the American forces or complications
at Tampico where the Constitutional
lists are in control it is realized, may
at any moment alter the whole stu
alton.