The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-02-26
PRESIDENT REFUSES SENATE
ENTIRE DATA OF MEXICO.

rneSIOENI REFUSES SENATE
ENTIRE DATA OF MEXICO.
President Wilson sent to the Senate
last Thursday his response to the Fall
resolution adopted last month, request
ing him to report on facts leading up
to recognition by the United States of
the de facto government of Mexico,
headed by General Carranza. 1t was in
the form of long letter from secre-
tary Ian. Hg, summarizing the events
which rlNsxSed recognition, and trans.
mittine o. A:2lume of data, includ.
ing lis. C1 1@ericans killed in
Mexico and &:< border during
the past six yea. 49,
The President, th.. Lansing,
declined to comply W. part of
the Fall resolution askin. for diplo.
matte and consular reports on political
conditions and events in Mexico. The
Senate was informed that it was not
compatible with public interests to fur
nish this correspondence, inasmuch as
it was of highly confidential nature
and submitted by consular officers of
the United States, by diplomatic or
consular officers of other governments
which have graciously consented that
their officers might supply this gov
ernment with information during the
necessary absence of American repre-.
sentatives, and by other persons resid-
ing in Mexico.
The data disclosed that at least SO
Americans have been killed in Mexico
since President Wilson entered the
White House.
Seventy-six Americans lost their
lives in the southern republic in the
years 1913, 1914, 1915, and seventeen
Americans were massacred by Villa
bandits in January. Twenty civilian
Americans in those three years, and
sixteen American soldiers were killed
on American soil as the result of bor-
der troubles. Thus the total number
Of Americans who are officially &C.
knowledged to have perished is 1923.
This is the first statement of the
loss of American life in Mexico that
the Wilson administration has ever
made public.
Secretary Lansing in his communica-
tion, speaks approvingly of the Car
rama government, and says that in
the territory which it controls, it is
affording reasonably adequate protec-
tion to the lives and property of Amer
icans."
Many had expected full and frank
statement of the entire Mexican situa-
tion from the administration, and when
the report was received, Senator
Stone, chairman of the foreign rela-
tfons committee, moved that it lie on
the table and be printed as public
document. He made no comment on
it's contents. Senator Fall expressed
himself as disappointed because the
President had not included the
IMPORTANT confidential correspon-
dence, and said that he thought he
would be able to supply the Senate
with some of the missing links in
the circumstances which led up to the
recognition of the Carranza govern
ment.
"The fact that political correspon-
dence was withheld from the American
people demonstrates that there was
some mystery about that recognition
which fell like bombshell in Mexico
and the United States.''
The response to the resolution is
expected to stir up a new discussion
of the Mexican situation in the Senate
and bring a vote quickly on the nomi-
nation of Henry Prather Fletcher as
ambassador to Mexico. Senator Fall
introduced his resolution when the
nomination was sent in.
Republican members of the foreign
relations committee held and still hold
that the Senate should not consent to
sending an ambassador to Mexico until
it was thoroughly Informed as to the
character of the government to which
he was to be accredited. In view of
the report it is probable that the NOM
ination of Mr.. Fletcher will be passed
upon by the foreign relations com.
mittee at an early date.
On last Saturday the Supreme Court
of the United States was asked to con-
slider and give decision as to the effect
of the recognition by the United States
of the Carranza government on certain
claims of Americans to property seized
by Carranza followers early in their
revolution. It is the first question of
international law to come before the
court as result of the recent troubles
in Mexico.
NAvIEs IN COMPARISON.
According to facts disclosed by the