The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-02
j. s. WILL RELIEVE
STARVING MEX|CANS
WARRING CLANS MUST
REACH AGREEMENT
Wilson Makes Statement
Public on Tuesday, but it is Un-
derstood That Demand Will Be
Made by United States to CeaHe
Fighting.

Fighting.
Washington, May 30.-There were
plain indications tonight that from
now on the administration will vigor-
ously seek to end the chaos in Mexi-
co. Until President Wilson makes
public on Tuesday a statement he has
prepared, details of his plans will
not be known, but it was understood
tonight the various Mexican leaders
will be informed that the time has
come for them to stop fighting be-
tween themselves and agree on a
government which the United States
can recognize.
1t is expected that the statement
will recite famine conditions in the
Southern republic as Duval West and
other government agents have por-
trayed them. The president will point
out how patiently the American gov
ernment has waited for the Mexican
factions to adjust the problem them
selves, and how helpless the Mexican
people generally have become in the
hands of the military elements.
The statement, which is to be sent
to all factional leaders, will not
announce the course the United
States expects to follow in case an
agreement does not result, but will
point out that conditions have be-
come intolerable and must be reme-
died by outside influences if there
are no elements in the country with
sufficient capacity to wrest the re-
public from its state of anarchy. The
advisability of placing an embargo
on the expectation of arms and am
munition to Mexico has been urged
as one means of putting a stop to
fighting there.
Conditions in Mexico.
A Red Cross statement issued to-
might pictured conditions among the
Mexican civilian population as de-
plorable with famine spreading from
city to city and through the outlying
districts.
conditions are growing steadily
worse" said the statement. "At Mon
terey several thousands are fed daily.
Farmers from the surrounding coun-
try are coming to the city to buy
corn, but can not obtain it. Null
titudes are on the verge of starva-
ton.
"At Durango the governments ef-
forts to keep down the price of food
supplies failed. Food supplies are
becoming so scarce and the cost so
high that the poorer classes are un-
able to buy.
cat Tampico all food is about ex-
hausted. Conditions in outlying dis
tricts are worse, and tales of the star
walton of the poor people are con-
stantly coming into the city.
"At Vera Cruz and in the sur
rounding country famine conditions
prevail. At Jalapa the general con-
ditions of the town is appalling. Mon
ey was raised by the chamber of
commerce to relieve the distress and
corn was imported, but the funds
were soon exhausted. Most distress
ing scenes took place at the munich
pal hall when these rations were dis
tributed. Some $500 women were
collected at 7 o'clock in the morning
to get in line for the distribution,
which began at II o'clock. Many af-
ter waiting for hours went home cry
ing, for the supply ran out, and, sum-
ming up the case, it means the prac-
.ical starvation of the town.
Fatal Rush for Corn.
"On the west coast the inhabitants
are reported as starving. When a
boat load of corn was brought into
Acapulco the rush of the people was
so great that several children were
trampled to death and a number of
women injured.
"In Mexico City the situation is
grave. AS early as March 100000
persons were reported suffering from
hunger. Conditions have grown worse
and many are starving. For the food