The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-14
U. $. Peace Delegates Pay Respects to South Ameri- can Mediation Repre-
 sentatiyes at Capital
HUERTA DELEGATES
 ARE DUE TO ARRIVE
 IN HAVANA TODAY
Strong Pressure Being Brought to Bear Upon Constitutionalists to Join in Negotiations-Tampico
 Victory May Have Effect

Washington, May 13.--First formal steps
 m the programme of mediation in the
 Mexican problem were taken here today
 when Justice Lamar and Frederic w.
 Lehman. together with their secretary,
 H. Perceval Dodge. who will represent
 the United States. paid their respects to
 the three South American envoys who
 have undertaken by diplomacy to solve
 the Mexican question.
 The representatives were presented by
 Counsellor Robert Lansing, acting secre-
 tary of state. It was a call of courtesy
 but paved the way for informal confer
 ences in advance of the first meeting at Niagara Falls, Ontario. next Monday. Coincidentally, word was received by
 the mediators direct from the Mexican
 foreign minister at Mexico City, that the Huerta representatives would arrive at Havana tonight or tomorrow and leave
 immediately for Niagara Falls via Key
 West An earlier dispatch from Consul Canada at Vera Cruz intimated that the Huerta delegates might delay several days at Havana
 Reports were currens that strong pres sure would be brought to bear on the constitutionaists from several quarters after the expected victory at Tampico to induce them to participate in the me- diation.
 President Wilson, during the day prom 1sed delegation of oil we'll owners at
 Iampleo that as soon as the fighting. ceased he would make strong represen- tations to the authorities in control there
 to secure resumption of oil operations Secretary Bryan announced that the tinted States had no intention of holding Lobos Island and that if the Mexcans
 would keep the navigation lights burn ing there the American forces would de- pare content. The mediators do not re- gard the Lobos Island incident as men acing the forthcoming negotiations. Demands Explanations Secretary Garrison cabled General Funston at Vera Cruz to demand of General Maas, the Mexican commander. a Full explanation of the death of Pri- NateS Parks, whos straycd into Mex lean lines several days ago. Protest against the reported execution of Parks and the alleged burning of his body has been made also through diplo- matte channels to General Huerta Sec retary Garrison holds that as Parks Was in uniform, he should have been treated as a prisoner of war General Funston thinks Parks went insane MT. Garrison also asked General
 
 details of the arrest of the five South Americans accused of "sniping" at Vera Cruz
 These were the chief developments in he Mexican situation today The mediators were busy preparing for their departure and Counsellor I.ans- Ing spent much time with the Ameri- can representatives familiarizing them with the general situation Mr I.ans- ing said afterward that the status of the American representatives would be unoffiica1, as they would bear no ere ceitisls and would not have plenipo- tentiary powers All steps would be re- ferred for final decision to the Pres 1dent and Secretary of State. Sugges- fions will not be made. Mr. Lansing explained. by any of the parties to the mediation. all proposals coming from the mediators, but the represen- fatives were free to present informa- ton pertinent to the discussion He said the mediators met first with the representatives of one side and then with the other.
 The practical certainty that the con- stisutionalists would be in control of Tampfco made it apparent today that the United States soon would be in position to bring about a return of normal conditions in the oil district Negotiations with the constitutiona1ists to permit foreign employees to return II to the wells will be begun as soon as | news of the occupation of the district | ls received.
 II Question of Ammunition Another phase of the situation which produced much discussion In executive quarters was the question of ammuni- II tion shipments destined for Tampico | when the constitutionalists are in con trOl.
 Constitutionalists here say that after | the battles of Tampico and Saltillo, now being fought, the rebels will have little ammunition left with which to continue the light against Huerta. With a practi- cal embargo on the importation of muni- tions of war across the American bor- der in effect the rebels believe their only chance of getting additional ammuni- Il tion will be from abroad. On the other Il hand. should the constitutionalists be al- Il lowed to import ammunition through Il Tampieo some officials point out that Il Huerta probably would protest that the Il Il (COntinued on Page Eighf)