The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-07
Reported Mexican Chief Will Permit Food Ship
 ments to Capital
SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC
 REPORTED AT TAMPICO
Foreign Diplomats in Mexico City Bringing Pressure to Bear on Obregon to Accept Aid
 for the City

Washington, Narch e.---Eucourazinx asIviccs indicating that General Car rsuxa might heed representations ef the United states and direct General obregon to permit food md supplies to reach Mexico City were received late today by the strte department.
 While the situation was still described as grave, the intimation was given that Carranga was beginning to yield to dipIo- matte pressure being exerted at Vera Cruz for an ameIioration of conditions in Mexico City where famine has been threatened
 Another disturbing element in the gen eral situation reported to the state de- partmcnt was the outbreak of an cpl demic of smallpox at Tampico. Twenty nine cas are now in the hospital. With in the last three days eight deaths have occurred. Consular dispatches say it is not known how many more cases have not been officially reported. With the ex- pected attack on Tampico by the Villa forces and the arrival of thousands Of carranza endorsements conditions in the seaport are becoming almost as uncoin- fortahle for the foreign colony as in Mexico City.
 Work on 0bregon
 In the Mexican capital foreign diplo- mats are exerting every influence pos slbie to persuade General Obregon to ac- cept the preferred aid of an international relief committee which raised 26o.ooo pesos to buy food and supplies for the needy. Obregon thus far has refused them trans portation facilities to bring freight from towns in the vicinity.
 During the day some of tho foreign dip lomats here received messages from their representatives In Mexico City in- dicating that the diplomatic corps was desrous of leaving. One message said tho diplorats had decided to leave in q body and asked that arrangements bc made for the rare of diplomatic interests by con suiar officers remaining.
 A somewhat similar statement was re- ceived by inc Swedish minister here from his government at Stockholm. Late today he called on Secretary Bryan to ask what the United States would advise in case foreign diplomats desired to leave. After the conference the minister said he would advise that for the present the Swedish legation be maintained in Mexico City.
 It was learned that the decision of ths diplomatic corps to leave was dependent to some extent on what might be the course of the United States If the Wash ington government is making efforts to better conditions in the Mexican capital the diplomats would be content to re- main.
 Diplomatic Inquiries
 stream of diplomatic inquiries poured into the state department today concern Ing conditions in Mexico City. The Ftench ambassador states that In dispatch he had received from his legation in the Mexican capital conditions were described as excessively bad
 Some of the dlplomatists conferred on their dispatches and the uniform opinion was that affairs in Mexico City were ra pdly growing intolerable.
 State department officials said no mes- sages had been received from the Bra zilian minister at Mexico City today, but on Vera Cruz advices they based hopes that General Csrranza would instruct General Obregon to permit the interna- tional relief committee to take charge of the situation.
 President Wilson dscussed the general situation with Secretary Bryan today but pending the outcome of the representa- tions to Carranza. no further step has