The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1916-07-28
PEACE CONFERENCES HELD
Peace Parleys Have Been Arranged
and Plans Outlined for Best Way 10
Bring Long-standing Trouble
to Close for Good, Etc.

L
Antonio are continuing the work OF
shaping the big border army into an
efficient body.
No orders for the withdrawal OF
General Pershing'S force have been
received, but their receipt would be
no surprise. AS a further addition to
the fighting force along that part of
the border over which the expedition
airy force moved, however, five regi-
ments are to be stationed at Deming.
n. NJ. General Funston announced
Friday that they would be held there
as a strategic measure.
The movement of guardsmen has
been practically suspended since the
order to complete the equipment OF
the guard at their home stations, and
reports to army headquarters indicate
that the recruiting has been materially
lessened. One New York regiment,
the Third, reached Brownsville Fri
day with 1900 men.
Field communication is to be facili-
tated by the adoption of motorcycles
for the transportation of wireless sets,
/ utilizing the motor for operation OF
the dynamo Several of these rev
motorcycle sets have arrived and
were tried out by the signal corps.
Further conferences between Acting
Secretary Polk and Eliseo Arpedondo,
the Mexican ambassador at Washing
ton, will be resumed as soon as the
latter is informed whether General
Carranza approved the tentative plan
for negotiations telegraphed to him
Thursday.
Washington.-Pre negotia
lions between Acting Secretary Polk
and Eliseo Arredondo, Mexican ambas-
sador-designate, for peaceful settle
ment of border difficulties progressed
so well this week that formal an
nouncement very soon" as to the
course to be followed was officially
predicted
The conferees met twice Wednes-
day. Later Mr. Arredondo telegraphed
report to his government and Mr..
Polk prepared similar report for Sec
rotary Lansing. now on his vacation.
Henry P. Fletcher, ambassador-des-
Bnate to Mexico, was present at both
conferences. 1t is understood the dis
cussions dealt particularly with the
powers to be conferred upon joint
commission, should that plan of settle
ment be followed.
It is understood Mr.. Fletcher will
go to his post in the City Of Mexico
soon after Secretary Lansing returns
from his vacation about August l, pro-
vided the favorable turn of events be-
yond the border continues. At the
same time Mr. Arredondo will be for
mally received by President Wilson as
ambassador from the republic of Mex
leo and formal diplomatic relations be
restored.
Ell Paso, Tex.-A party of mounted
Mexicans exchanged fire with Com
pany L of the Ninth Massachusetts In
fantry Tuesday. According to reports,
the guardsmen were doing outpost
duty when the MeXicans rode up on
the opposite bank of the Rio Grande
and opened fire. The guardsmen suf-
fered no casualties.
Captain Hickey Of Dorchester, Mass,
commanding the company, estimated
the number of Mexicans at fifteen, but
asserted that he was unable to deter
mine whether or not they were sol
diers. approximately fifty shots were
fired on each side, 1t was said.
Douglas, Ariz-Excitement over the
shooting Tuesday of Antonio Rodri-
guez, Mexican musician, by Private
R. Tucker, Eleventh Infantry, while
the Mexican was trying to cross the
international boundary has not abated.
Rodriguez and his companion, Enri-
que Pima, under oath, testified that
they were not less than 100 meters
inside Mexican territory when the first
shot was fired at them.
In conversation, the Mexican au-
thorities say that unless the sentry be
punished 1t was the intention of Gov
,ernor de la Huerta and General Gales
to make the case a matter of interna.
tional moment by insisting that it be
taken up automatically between the
City of Mexico and Washington.
Private Tucker was not placed un.
der arrest From the statement of
American army officers it appears he
was following orders when he fired.
| A seemingly well-authenticated re.
port Tuesday stated that Mexican
troops moving southwark had been or.
dered halted by General Gales and
were moving in large numbers toward