The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-05
DIRECT DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS SOON TO Be
RESUMED WITH MEXICO
Ambassador Fletcher VIII Leave
shortly For Mexico City gnacio
Boniilas May Succeed Arredondo.
CARRANZA REPORTED NOT
ANXIOUS FOR WITHDRAWAL
Pershing's Presence in Northern Mex
leo Believed To Be Considered by
First Chief in Light OF Insurance
Against Trouble on Border.

Washington, Jan. -4.--Dtrect diplo-
matte relations between the United
States and Mexico will be resumed al
most immediately. II became known
In Washington tonight that the early
dispatch of Ambassador Henry ?.
Fletcher to his post at Mexico City
and the acceptance Of the credentials
of a successor to Eliseo Arredondo,
former am ssado r-des ignate, have
been determined upon. The Mexican
statesman most prominent mentioned
for the washington post is fgnacio
Bonllas second member of the Mex
lean section of the Joint commission.
The resumption Of direct dealings
with Mexico Is expected to result in
the early disruption Of the joint COM
mission according TO the American
members OF that commission. The
administration authorities, II was
stated tonight, have become convinced
that direct dealings through an am
hassador at Mexico City and a Mexi-
can of the type of Bonillas at WASH
ington will be preferab BILE TO indirect
action through a commission whose
agreements require the approval of
Carranza before they can become eff
fective.
Not Anxious For Withdrawal.
American troops of the expeditionary
force 10 be Withdrawn from Mexico,
His refusal TO sign the protocol had
this end in view. He is fully aware
that the border question Is less likely
TO become acute with an American
force stretching from the international
boundary line well into Mexico, ready
TO operate in either direction against
maraudng attachments of bandits,
than with the entire American force
withdrawn. Also. the American line
across the map of Chihuahua serves as
a wall OF defense to the Carranzistas
against the cross-country operations
OF villa and his allied groups OF anti
Carranzistas.
Carranza desires the Joint commits
sion TO be kept alive. He is particu-
larry anxious that the deliberations be
resumed and continued until a more
complete working agreement between
the two governments can be formu-
lated. This is a part of his desire
that the American troops continue for
a while at least on Mexican soil.
Refused Neutral Zone Proposal.
II became known in Washington
today that the American members OF
lthe Joint commission refused to con-
slider any plan for the esta blishment
OF neutral zone along the two sides
| of the Rio Grande. The Mexicans
urged such a step. and also they
urged joint policing of the border.
1 This also the American section re-
| jected. 1t was the view OF the Amerl-
cans that each nation should police
/ it's own border. but tacitly they re-
served the right of United States
forces to pursue any hot tratls' OF
/ retreating bandits who had been en-
gagged in spoiliations or disorders or
; the American side.
/ The State Department today an
nounced that an authoritative source
! had reported the reoccupation o.
Torreon by CarranZa forces
| BOnf1las Favored.
| Ygnacio Bonillas. mentioned as TIT
most likely successor to ex-Ambassa
4 dor Arredondo. is distinctly favored
/ by the administration. When asked
today II Senior Bonillas was persona
grata to the American government
Secretary of State Lansing admitted
! the fact with great promptness. He
! however, denied that inquiries hat
been made by the Mexican govern
ment as to the accepta bility Of Seno
Bonillas.
BoniIlas was educated in the Unite,
States. For a number of years he oc
cupied the chair Of civil engineering
| in the Massachusetts, Institute o
Technology. He is reputed to be In
/, tensely anti-American in spirit, blu