Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-08-04
Latin Diplomats Invited to
Tomorow's Conference
Have Home Backing.
PROGRAM Is Definite
Southern Countries Will Be
Asked to Aid in Forcing
Factions to Peace.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 4.-Interest
in tomorrow's conference on the Mex
lean problem between Secretary Lans-
ing and diplomatic Representatives of
six American countries was
heightened today as further details of
the origin of the plan for joint coop
GRAFTON in pacifying the southern re-
public come to light.
One of the latest developments is the
fact that decision to ask aid of the
Central and South America in settling
the Mexican difficulty was reached by
President Wilson in June when his
warning to the warning factions to set
tie their difficulties and restore peace
went unheeded. The diplomats were
invited June so to participate in a
conference, while the appeal to the
Mexican factions was made June 2. The
announcement was withheld, however,
pending the sanctioning of the plan by
the Latin-Amel tcan nations
Last Appeal to Factions.
1t was considered likely today that
the first step in the presidents plan
which will be submitted to the con-
ferees by Secretary Lansing will be a
last appeal to the factions to end the
strife and arrange for settled govern
ment. If any factions fail to heed the
warning, the plan is said to include
extension of moral and financial sup
port to other factions. The plan is
also said to include a restoration of
the ban on war munitions to the re-
voting factions and a demand that the
railroad line between Vera Cruz and
Mexico City be kept open for the
transportation of food supplies to the
starving people of the capital. Fail
ure to do this might result in joint
steps by the United States and the
Latin-American nations to take physi-
cal control of the capital and the rail-
road by force and to hold them pend
ing restoration of peace.
Protest on Villa Acts.
Ell Paso, Texas, Aug. 4.-Reports re-
ceived from Columbus, n. NJ, state that
all Villa troops at Palomas, Casas
Grandes and Ascencion, in northwest
ern Chihuahua, have deserted.
Business was resumed by native
merchants in Chihuahua yesterday, &C
cording to official Villa advices late
last night.
The resumption, however, was said
to be conducted under the rules laid
down by General Francisco Villa at
the meeting of merchants held Satur-
day at Chihuahua city.
The owners and employees superin-
tended the operations of the stores but
"interventors" were placed in each
store by General Villa to prevent his
rules being violated.
Juarez Imports Held Up.
The Chihuahua commercial situa-
ton extended to Juarez yesterday
when instructions were received by
the customs department there to hold
temporarily all importations until
some definite agreement was reached
in Chihuahua. This order was said to
apply to importations stored IN the
customs warehouse and aboard trains,
awaiting transportation to the south.
Representations have been made by
the state department and British Am
bassador Sir Cecil SpringRice. against
the confiscation by the Villa govern
ment of the Jabonera Cottonseed Pro-
ducts company at Gomez Palac1o, Chi
huahua, a S5,000,000 corporation OF
which John Birmingham, an Ameri-
can. is one of the principal owners. 1t
was understood the plant was confls-
Gated on refusal of forced loan OF
$1,000 in American currency 1t is
said the corporation already had paid
s250,O0 in forced loans to the Villa
government.
The stores of foreigners remained
closed pending negotiations by the
American consul, Marion Letcher, and
other consuls at Chihuahua with Min
lister of Foreign Relations Miguel Diaz
Lombardo of the Villa cabinet.