The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-06
ACTION IN WILSON'S HANDS.
PRESIDENT NOW HAS FULD TN.
FORMATION ON WHICH TO
DECIDE HIS COURSE.
Amcritl IN Members of Commission
Report Their Failure to Formulate
Plans to Adjust Situation with
McxicO-Pians for Perslling's With
drawal.

McxicO-P'ans for Perslling's With
drawal.
Washington, Jan. 3.-AlI the
threads of the tangled situation he.
tween the United States and Mexico
We're held tonight by President Will
son. The American members of the
Mexican-American joint commission
made to him late today a personal re-
port of their negotiations which have
reached deadlock and whether the
conferences of the commission shall
continue Is question the president
has added to those already under con-
sideration the determination of which
will shape the administrators future
policy towards the de facto govern
ment.
Although an authoritative admis-
sion to that effect was lacking, it be-
came known that Secretary Lane. DR..
j. II. Mott and Judge George Gray,
the American commissioners, consid-
cred useless more attempts to settle
questions at issue through the joint
commission. They submitted to the
president a written report of their
failure to have Carranza ratify the
protocol providing for withdrawal Of
the American troops from Mexico and
for a cooperative control Of the border
and asked him to decide whether ;hey y
should continue to confer on other
subjects as suggested by Carranza.
The president and the three COM
missioners discussed the report for
about an hour Afterward Secretary
Lane referred inquiries to the presi-
dent. The president said he did not
wish to discuss the question in any eof
it's phases. N.,e
AT least one more conference with
the Mexicans will be held. Some day
this week the Mexican commissioners
are expected to meet the American
commissioners here and discuss their
reply to Carranza's latest communica-
tion.. 1t seemed certain ton hit that
some radical changes in policy would
be adopted soon by the United States
The president continued his discussion
Of withdrawal Of Gen. Pershings
force regardless Of Carranza's attitude
and Of the sending of Henry r.
Fletcher to Mexico City tosrsbfS Mt
the government as ambassador.
1t is known that neither OF these
steps would be regarded as inconsist-
ent by the American commissioners.
In anticipation that orders will bo
issued soon for recall of the troops
the war department has prepared a
tentative plan of withdrawal. Gen.
Scott, chief of staff, and Gen. Bliss,
assistant chief of staff, conferred Ut
length with Secretary Baker late to-
day and 1t was said they discussed
request by the president for report
on what effect, in the opinion of mill
tary men, withdrawal Of the troops
would have.
If the Pershing expedition Is taken
out of Mexico it will be with the un-
derstanding that the American gov
ernment reserves the right to reenter
in the pursuit of bandits at any time
it may become necessary and that it
will recognize no right Of the Mexi-
can government to impose restrictions.
That was the effect Of the message
which accompanied the protocol when
it was sent to Carranza from Atlantic
City. The conditions imposed in the
protocol are regarded by Secretary
Lane as being Us mild as possible.
Such terms would be enforced by the
United States regardless of agreement
by Carranza.