The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-02
PROPOSITION MADE TO ALL THE WARMING FACTIONS BY THIS
 GOVERNMENT.
VILLA-ZAPATA READILY AGREE
If Carranza Agrees There Will Be No More Fighting Around Mexican hood of Complications,

Washington, April With the hope of obtaining permanent protec- tion for the 25,O0O foreigners in Mex ico City, tine United States govern ment has proposed to the Villa-Zapata forces and to General Carranza that the Mexican capital be declared neu. tral and outside the fields of opera tions hereafter in Mexico's civil war.
 The VillaZapata forces have agreed to the proposal and are willing to eyacuate the city as soon as similar agreement is obtained with the Car ranZa authorities, who are now being negotiated with.
 On General Carranza depends also whether or not the efforts of the United States to neutralize the rail- way between Mexico City and Vera Cruz shall succeed. as the Villa Zapata officials have likewise given their assent to this proposal.
 State department officials declined to discuss the status of the two pro posals beyond saying that they still were under consideration. The Dian with respect to Mexico City contem- plates arrangements whereby order would be maintained there by local council made up of prominent res,- dents selected by mutual agreement between the opposing factions. The capital would not then under the terms of the proposed agreement be subject to further attacks nor would there be any more changes in govern ment until a central government had been established.
 Officials and di1omatists here who are conyersant with the details of the plan are much encouraged by the prompt acceptance given to it by the Villa-Zapata authorities and are now hopeful that General Carrarza can. be persuaded to do likewise. nd7al West, personal representative of President Wilson, who it Is under stood will confer with General Car ranza at Vera Cruz Tn the next few days on the Mexican situation in gen eral, probably will assist American Consuls Silliman and Canada in their efforts to secure Carranza's approval. Later, it is understood, Mir West will go to Mexico City to talk with the Brazilian minister concerning the sit nation.
 Should the capital be declared neu- tral much of the apprehension for the safety of foreigners would be re- moved and the famine menace eiimi- mated. Since such step would les sen the likelihood of complication with foreign powers, the plan in the opinion of American officials. should appeal to all Mexican factions.
 No important engagement between the Villa and Carranza forces were reported to the Washington authori. ties from any source today, dis patches saying that comparative quiet preailed along the border and that the Mexico City situation was unchanged.
 The Brazilian minister at the capi- tai advised the state department that taxes on mining property in Lower California were payable at the ca lital or at Chihuahua, money deposited in any American bank to the order Of the treasurer general of the de facto government being acceptable for that purpose. The department had in- quired if Governor Cantu of Lower California was subject to the orders of the Mexico Cit ygovernment, vari- ous owners of American mines there having been puzzled as to how to meet their tax obligations because og confused conditions in Mexico. The status of Governor Cantu was not de- fined in the reply.
 Minro Merriweather. the young American arrested by Villa officials on a charge of counterfeting. and who was later released, has com. plained that his personal effects and the money which caused his arrest was confiscated
 Merriweather entered the territory controlled by Villa carrying a consid- erable amount of so-called, Moncloya currency, used by Carranza support CTS which the Villa officials require to be re-validated. Merriweather as- serted that this was done on written order of General Angeles.