Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-12-21
MEXICAN PROTOCOL
IS NOT RATIFIED
The Document Comes Back TO
Joint Com d;ission Minus
Carranza's Signature.
DOESN'T SUIT FIRST CHIEF.
objects to Sec. LINES statement THAT
1. :. Troops Have uisbt 10 PURSUE
bandits across Border.

Ihlddelphia, Dec. lS.--Gencral gar.
rama rcpresentatiN es on the Mexican
american Joint commission admitted to-
day to the American members that th.
protocol scnod three weeks ago al
Atlantic city had not ncen ratiied They
supplemented that admission. however,
with declaration &C the attitude OF tho
tarranza government ard assured tho
Americans that the deiar in tltucatiou
did not signify the rejection of the agree
mcnt which thev had gicned after al
most three months of considerations
COMM NlCATGON NOT PUBLIC.
Tho exact character of the co,nmunica.
ton from the McNjcarS wa- not Wad'
public but 1t vas evident al the close
Of the conference that both Americans
and MeXicaNs regarded as probab bic tho
Official sanction ot the protocol and the
resumption Of the sessions at which it
has been planned to discuss questions At
ISSUE between the governments Of the
United States and Mexico.
TWO sessions We're held, and iatc to-
day, whoa the commission adjourned, It
Wa announced that another meeting
would he held Tomorrow Unless hrcak
in the conference. nov unex pectcd, occurs
it was believed tonight that the sessions
might be continued until near the end Of
the week, when an adjournment would
he taken until after New Years daN
WHY CARRANzA REFUSED
II was indicated that Carranza had
withheld ratification when the protocol
vas submitted to him by Alberto } Pani.
the commissioner who carried tho docu-
mept from Atlantic CITY tn Querctaro,
not SO much because he found the torms
of the agreement Impossible, as because
a
States government attitude made by
Secretary Of the Interior Lane as chair
man of tho commission. made it incon-
sstent for him To accent it without in
turn defining the position Of his govern.
ment. Secretary Lane had placed before
the Mexican commissioners supple
mental statement in which ne had clearly
indicated that the American Sovernmc nj
was determined to witness an improve
ment in conditions in Mexico and that II
/ IT became necessary American troops
would be sent across the border in pur-
suit of bandits and that no restrictions
as to how far the pursuit would be car
| ried would be tolerated.
Although it was not included in the
protocol, Carranza interpreted Secretary
| Lanes statement as vitality connect cd
with tho agreement and has protested
against the pursuance Of such a policy
1
| by the United States. To the conditions
named in the protocol for tho Withdrawal
! Of American troops now in Chihuahua
| under General PcrshinG, it Is understood
he made no serious objection. The terms
| for their Withdrawal are that they shall
be taken out within 70 days after ratiii
cation of the protocol, if in that time
bandits have not altered conditions II
that part of the country so materially
that the pcace of the border would b,
menaced. and that Carranza would Garri
son the territory as the Americans are
withdrawn.
Carranza signed no communication tc
the commission, but authorized Mr.. Pan
to draft and to submit the statement in
tended as a counter declaration of policy
/ It WAS learned that the Mexican com
missioners were empowered tn use thoil
judgment in phrasng tho document anC
that they were urged by CarranZa not tt
cause a break with the Americans if il
could be avoided.