New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-02
U. WOULD MAKE
MEXICO CAPITAL
A NEUTRAL ZONE
Proposes That All Fac
tons Agree to Do No
Fighting There.
VILLA AND ZAPATA
ASSENT TO SCHEME
Only Carranza's Acceptance Is
Now Needed to Put the Plan
Into Operation.

Washington, April With the hope
Of securing permanent protection for
! the $4,000 foreigners in Mexico City,
the United States government has pro-
posed to the Villa-Zapata forces and
to General Carranza that the Mexican
capital be declared neutral and out
side the field of operations hereafter
in Mexico's civil war.
The Villa-Zapata forces have agreed
to the proposal and are willing to evac-
uate the city as soon as similar
agreement is obtained with the Car
rama authorities, who are now beng
negotiated with.
On General Carranza depends also
whether or not the effort of the United
States to neutralize the railway be-
tween Mexico City and Vera Cruz shall
succeed, as the Villa-Zapata officials
have also assented to this proposal.
Local Council to Keep Order.
State Department officials declined
TO discuss the status of the two pro-
posals beyond saying that they still
were under consideration. The plan
/ contemplates an arrangement whereby
| order would be maintained in Mexico
/ CITY by a local council of prominent
residents selected by mutual agree
ment between the opposing factions
The capital would not be subject to
( further attacks, nor would there be any
more changes in government until a
central government had been estab-
I l:shed.
Officials and diplomats here CONVEX
/ SAINT with the details of the plan are
| encouraged by its prompt acceptance
/ by the Villa-Zapata authorities, and
! are hopeful that Carranza can be per-
! suaded to assent. Duval West, per
! sonal representative of President Will
{ son, who, it is understood, will confer
/ with Carranza at Vera Cruz in the next
! few days, probably will assist Consuls
/ SIlliman and Canada in their efforts
/ TO secure Carranza's approval. Later
| il is understood, Mr.. West will go to
| Mexico City to talk with the Brazilian
/ Minister concerning the situation.
! Should the capital be declared neu-
trail much of the apprehension for the
/ safety of foreigners would be removed
/ and the famine menace wohld be ellml-
mated. Since such a step would lessen
! the likelihood of complication with for
/ eign powers, the plan, in the opinion
of American officials, should appeal to
| all Mexican factions.
quiet AAOnR the boiucI'
No important engagement between
the Villa and Carranza forces was re-
ported from any source to-day, DIS
patches saying that comparative quiet
Prevailed along the border and that
the Mexico City situation was I'M
changed.
The Brazilian Minister at Mexico
CITY advised the State Department that
taxes on mining property IN Lower
California were payable at the capital
or at Chihuahua, money deposited IN
anv American bank to the order OF the
Treasurer General of the de facto gov
crnment being acceptable for that pur-
pose.
The cruiser Olympia was ordered to-
day to 70 to Vera Cruz from Key West.
Secretary Daniels said the Olympia was
to relieve the Delaware, now on duty
at Vera Cruz.
Brownsville, Tex, April l. The
probability of a bomb-dropping attack
by four aeroplanes on Matamoros was
forecast to-day by II. NJ. Rinehart Of
DAYTON. O., an American who flew
a Villa biplane last night to Las Ru-
cias. four miles from Matamoros and
Headquarters of the Villa forces.
Rinehart few in from Reynosa,
about sixty-five miles west of Mata-
morcs. He said he was told three
other aeroplanes were due to leave
Monterey for Matamoros. A biplaEe
arrived during the night at Las Ru-
cias. Some of its parts were brought
here to-day for repairs.
The appearance of large fatboat
at Las Rucias for ferry purposes
caused the collector of the port to or
der importation of supplies by the Viii
Ia camp suspended pending investiga-
ton. While there is no embargo on
lmportations, the federal government
wishes to know why fatboat of con-
siderable carrying capacity is neces-