The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-15
GENERAL BLISS IS
CALLED IN COUNSEL
American Commissioners Seek First
tary Conditions In Mexico.
PLAN FOR BORDER PROTECTION
International Police and Neutral Zone
CONGRATULATIONS Promise Judi
ciai Reform-Wiil Meet American
Claims With Counter Claims.

Hotel Griswold, New London,
Conn. Sept l4.-Evidence accumu-
lated today indicates that American
troops will not be withdrawn from
Mexico until the Carranza govern
ment effects its promised political,
social and industrial reforms.
AT the same time the American
and Mexican joint commission has
been discussing Carranza's program
Tor MeXico's regeneration. the Ameri-
can delegates have been holding sep
arate meetings to obtain all possible
details from the War Department con-
corning the militarv situation, both
inside of Mexico and on the border
To put these facts in still more con-
crete form. the American commits
sioners sent for General Tasker H.
Bliss
All this afternoon Commissioners
Lane, Gray and Mott were In confer
ence with General Bliss aboard the
navy yacht Sylph near the Hotel
Griswold landing. They checked up
most of CarranZa's claims that MeN-
can authorities were now maintain
Ing a fair degree Of law and order.
They also discussed a dozen or more
ways of protecting the border against
future Mexican raids. Among these
schemes are the following:
plans for Protecting Border.
An international police, which will
consist of men like the Texas rangers,
or the State consta bulary OF Penn
sylvania. These forces will be no
part Of the regular United States
army.
A neutral zone along the interna-
tional border so to 100 miles wide
t~
Americans or Mexicans may be free
to pursue and capture the iawbreak-
ers Of either country. Such a plan
was first formulated under General
Grant.
A chain Of blockhouses reaching
along the whole frontier. guarded by
United States troops, all OF whom
may be called into action immediate
ly in an emergency.
A system Of alternate Mexican and
American garrisons with no troops at
all CHARTERED around such towns as
FL Paso and Juarez
Tomorrow the military plans dis
cussed by the American ENJOYS and
General Bliss will be presented to the
Mexicans at a session of the full
board. General Bliss will himself be
brought before the commission for
advice and counsel.
War Department officials are said
TO argue that our troops in Mexico
should not be withdrawn until Mex
leo is far more tranquil than at pres
ent, If all of our soldiers were re-
moved now from Mexican soil. It was
explained. the United States would no
longer have a lever to compel Car
rama to make good his promises.
Because Of tho storm OF protests
against the arbitrary acts of Carranza
governors in issuing DEGREES taxing
American properties to the point OF
confscation and ordering Americans
thrown into prison who would not ac-
cept the almost worthless Mexican
money. the commissioners discussed
these two phases Of the Mexican prob
lem today at great length. They also
studied Carranza's plans of reforming
the Mexican courts.
An Independent Judiciary.
In brief the Mexican ENJOYS said
that the first chief wanted to estab-
fish a judiciary system like that OF
the United States which would be
completely independent of the execu-
tive power.
Asked II certain Carranza govern
ors had not decreed the abrogation
of the Mexican constitution and the
notification Of the civil and criminal
codes they answered;
Not exactly; we have simply sus-
pended them. At the next constitu-
tionat convention all these DEGREES OF