Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-19
Presidents Return to Wash
ington Taken to Mean Def
mite Action viii Follow.
SHANKLIN is RECALLED
BECAUSE OF FRICTION
Famine Conditions Existing in Cap
ital of Southern Republic
Further Described.

The return of President Wilson tc
| Washington today and the fact that il
is known the President has been Civ
ing considerable attention to reports
| from Mexico during his stay in Cornish
led to the belief in some quarters that
definite action of some kind may be
taken by the administration with re-
gard to Mexico within the next few
weeks. Following a conference with
the President at the White House to-
day, Secretary Lansing of the State De-
partment said he thought some action
might be taken soon in regard to the
Mexican situation. He suggested that
conditions there seemed to be chang
| ing rapidly from day to day.
The administration is watching with
keen interest the military situation in
the southern republic, it is understood.
| and it is believed that if one party
shows itself able to retain military
| control and gives promise of const-
party may follow by the United States
| Intervention by this country In Mexico
| is not looked for, except as last re-
sort. Recent successes of the Carranza
| city and appears to have compelled
Villa to retire into a corner of the
country, have focused considerable at
| tention on the constitutionalists.
| On the other hand, it is argued that
with the German situation looming UP
strongly the President will not attempt
at this time to give much attention to
Mexico, and matters will be allowed to
| run along as at present.
Consul Shanklin Coming Here.
Arnold Shanklin, American consul
general in Mexico City, is on his way
to Washington, under orders from the
State Department, to report upon con-
ditions. This was stated officially today
and incidentally it was admitted that
MI Shanklin has been withdrawn tenn
porarily from duty in Mexico City to
avoid continuation Of friction with
Senior CardoZa, the Brazilian minister
there.
Last week Mr.. Shanklin went to the
Mexican capital to carry on Red Cross
relief work. Some differences as to
methods developed between the consul
general and the Brazilian minister
They were not serious, but as Senior
Cardoza has been for many months
looking after American interests in a
manner so thorough and satisfactory as
to win the gratitude of the State De-
partment officials, they regarded it as
friction, quite regardless Of the merits
of the question.
State Department dispatches today
from Nogales confirm earlier reports
Villa forces at Anavacachi, Sonora
The triumphant forces took possession
of Cananea.
| American Consul Silliman reported
the arrival Of large quantities Of food
at Vera Cruz and that wireless COM
munication between Vera Cruz and
Mexico City probably would be estab-
lished today by means Of the new sta
ton at Chapultepec. installed by Gen.
Reports from Galveston, Tex, OF a
new revolution in Mexico, said to be
directed against the followers of Car
rama, with its sphere of action near
Vera Cruz. were discounted today by
claiming that this alleged new revo-
luton is only part of the activities
of the conventionalists, or Villa forces.
Famine Conditions Described.
Famine conditions in Mexico City as
they existed July 1 are described in
a Red Cross report received today. The
report was dated July /, and since
that time the city has been taken by
the Carranzistas, the convention forces
under Zapata having been driven out
and large quantities of foodstuffs have
! been distributed in the capital. The
June more than 100000 women applied
to the international committee for food
tickets. Only 10000 were available.
Where formerly 200 people a day
the blood that is saved and given
away" the report says, there are now
| 1000 daily besieging the gates. Near
| there the other day twenty people
were seen struggling to get pieces OF
\ a dead horse"
| The report continues:
Infants in arms are given food en-
| tirely unsuited to them, and that is
| causing disease among adults. The rate
of infant mortality consequently is
| and other foods and the Limitation OF
the coarser and poorer kinds are caus-
ing much stomach trouble. both among
| the Mexicans and foreigners, according
othe statements of physicians.
Task About Hopeless.
| The vastness of the misery already
manifest. not to mention that which is
to be heaped upon this land in the
weeks to come. makes the task of relief
almost hopeless. From interviews with
those who have been working at the
problem for weeks past. all of the re-
lief that they can give is but a touch Of
what needs to be given.
| I'm some cities, such as Tamptco ant
Vera Cruz, where there Is still some
business or favorable conditions exist
wages for day labor have increased sc
considerably that the rise in cost o.
| food and depreciation of currency have
not had such a disastrous effect a.
they have here in Mexico City and IL
| most parts OF this country.
| "One man vouched for as reputable
and trustworthy. who has just returned
from the United States by way of E
| Paso, Torreon and other points to the
north, reports a marked change for the
worse has taken place in the regior
through which he passed in the las
three weeks. He mentioned Aguasca
lientes as being in great distress.
The acreage planted to corn ant
other grains this year in tho grea,
grain producing states 10 limited. Els.
Inmates of this vary from 10 to SO pei
| cent of tho normal as an average The
most common being from 25 per cent
My own observation of fields between
here and Vera Cruz is that not over
half of the normal Is planted. Even Il
| all Of this natures with a good yield
and can be harvested 1t is going to b.
far from adequate for future needs"
Railroad for Military Purposes.
Although the railroad from Mexict
|