New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-27
He Tells Senator's Mexican
Rebels Should Have a
Fair Chance.
PUT ON HONOR NOT
TO REVEAL NEWS
AStonished at Extent TO Which
President Leaves Foreign
Affairs to Bryan.
lrrom mac TrIhune pureau. ]

N'N
members OF the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations.
pose in calling the conference was to I'M
press on the Senators what he described
as "the necessity" of ratifying the several
arbitration treaties now pending. but
when the conference got together the
Mexican situation Immediately became
the chief topic under discussion and most
OF the evening was devoted 10 It.
Tho Senators were, In the main, much
depressed by the information which the
President had to impart TO them, so much
so and so obviously that before they left
the President put them on their honor
not TO disclose the purport OF the infor-
nation they had gained. promising him
self to see the newspaper men and to
satisfy their requests for information SC
far as he deemed wise.
The President gave the impression that
II was his purpose 70 lift the embargo
on arms for the Constitutionalist forces
in Mexico. The Federals. he said, had
been able to secure arms and munitions
of war from the outside. and the Con-
stituticnalists should be allowed the same
opportunity.
Members Of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee expressed strong disapproval of
this policy. but the decision, which is re
garded as momentous. rests with the
President. 1t is probable that a definite
announcement of this policy will be
forthcoming within a few days.
After careful and somewhat persistent
questioning. the impression made on the
more experienced members of the Foreign
Relations Committee was that the MeNi-
can situation had been sadly. and they
fear irretrievably. bungled until it is 30
unfortunate that no one is willing 10 take
the responsibility of making il known 10
the American people
They feel that, after all. it is an ex-
ecutive matter that the Chief Executive
and his Secretary of State have carried
on their own policy. so far as it may be
called a policy. without comforting with
or asking the advice Of Senators and
others experienced in the conduct of the
foreign affairs of the nation, and that on
the Chief Executive and his Secretary of
State rests the responsibility of finding a
way out, if possible-and, If not, of con-
Tossing failure to the people
Many Senators went to the White
House hoping TO learn something encour-
aging about Mexico. Almost without ex-
ceDtion, they came away much depressed
and impressed with the entire absence OF
policy on the part of the administration
and the constantly increasing difficulties
which are growing out of its drifting
course
The President denied various published
reports, including one that he had ar
ranged for sending marines 10 Mexico
City on the retirement of Huerta. In
fact, so far as could be learned by what
the President himself characterized as
! oss-examination. the administration has
no plans whatever, while the conditions
i'm Mexico grow daily more dscouraging
The President also explained his plan.
regarding the Panama Canal government
! and outlined, so far as he was able. thu
status OF the Japanese-California situa
| ton. although he explained that probably
| he could not give the Senators as mucl
| light on this subject as could Secretar!
| Bryan.
question regarding the relations o
this country with Russia elected thu
statement that the Russian situation wa
not in "discussable shape" no step,
looking to the negotiation of a new treaty
/ having been taken.
The President outlined the negotiations
with Colombia, including the tentative
| treaty which has been already drafted
but not finally approved. He was quite
hopeful that the Senate would cordially
approve the agreement. The amount OF
the indemnity to Colombia was discussed
but no sum has been determined upon
I Mr.. Wilson urged the necessity Of rati-
| flying without further delay the pending
arbitration treaties. He pointed out that
delay would prove matter of embar-
rassment to the administration and that
already it had become necessary in al
least one instance to make explanations
to one Of the signatories of the delay in
ratification.
Mr.. Wilson discussed with the Senators
at some length his views regarding the
free tolls provision Of the Panama Canal
law and his disposition to support the
Adamson bill. suspending the provision
for free tolls TO coastwise shipping, 81
least until 1t was determined whether the
canal could be made self-supporting with
out this revenue. The President enjoined
on Senators his wish that they should not
disclose his attitude on The subject
Some Of the Senators present took ad
vantage of the opportunity to impress OF
the President the gravity of the situation
which has developed from CALIFORNIA;
anti-Japanese legislation, but with wha
results they could hardly judge, as Mr.
Wilson preserved Lis usual reticence
The subject OF Mr.. Bryan's peace
treaties was touched upon. but the Presi-
dent remarked that he hardly cared to
play the part OF John Alden, and at some
future conference Mr.. Bryan would speak
for himself regarding them. He was OF
the opinion, however, that IT was the
wish of the Secretary of State TO nego-
tate as many of these as possible and
then to submit them to the Senate stimuli
taneously, a plan which the President
appeared to regard as perfectly harmless,
in which view the Senators were disposed
to agree with him.
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