Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-05-29
MAY 20, 1918.
MEXICO BREAKS RELATIONS
With Euhn-Germam Influence Sus-
4 pcCtcd Hchird the Move.

Mexico City, May 2I.-MeXico has
severed diplomatic relations with
Cuba. This was learned officially
late to-day after report that the
Mexican charge d'affaires at Havana
AND the Cuban minister here have
been recalled from their respective
posts had been confirmed at the for
eign Office.
rhe recall Of the Mexican represen-
tatye to Cuba and the suspending for
ansfndefinite time of the sending of a
new representative is explained off,
cially as due to the fact that, because
Of the war, in which Cuba is involved,
that government has been Obliged to
dictate measures that affect the in
terests Of the Mexican government in
| many instances.
~ For this reason, 1t is declared, the
mahing Of representations that the
, Mexican representative would be
mehI would be useless and would re-
strict the liberty of action Of friend
ly nation (which is now in an afilict-
ed situation
tGN Indirect Stab at u. S.
Washington, May 25.-n Mexico's
sudden breaking off Of diplomatic re-
lations with Cuba is seen an indirect
action against the United States.
/ Those here most familiar with Latin
American affairs profess to see in 1t
the fforerunner Of more direct action,
| possibly an interruption Of inter-
| course between the United States and
Mexico
Although without official informa-
ton of detailed character, it is un-
derstood here that MeXico's real
| grievance against Cuba Is the recent
| incident in which the Mexican minis
terSto Argentina, Senior Fables, vas
delayed In Havana while some official,
ostensibly Cuban customs inspec-
tor, searched his baggage, and prob
abl!S removed some papers said to be
Of a,iJinternational character.
No announcements Of this feature
are being made here, and no official
secrets, If there be any, are being
disclosed. But 1t Is known that at
the same time, some sort of negotia-
! tionSiwas going on between Mexico,
| Argentina and possibly one other
| Lat1lsAmerican country having for
I iB hfpose a common attitude to.
ward the war. 1t is presumed that
!any papers found in ,Senor Fabela' s
/ luggage had to do with it.
|
be the real cause OF the break, and
those who entertain this belief are
, firm in the conviction that Mexico was
convinced that the United States was
responsible for the incident
When Senor Fabela's luggage was
searched 1t was maintained by some
that the person who did it was not
Cuban official at all, but some other
agent in the disguise Of Cuban in
spector or gendarme. Later, how
ever, 1t seemed to have been satisfac-
! torily established that the man was a
/ Cuban inspector.
A break between Mexico and Cuba
! 1t Is felt disrupts practically nothing
but long, friendly relation. In the
opinion OF those in close touch with
, the subject 1t may actually give Cuba
free hand, as the Mexican foreign
minister says in his announcement,
| but perhaps not in the manner sug-
gested. American agents for some
time have been reporting German
agents operating in Cuba, some of
them crossing frequently to the Uni
ted States as Cuban citizens or Mexi-
can citizens. A severance Of diplo-
matte relations probably would leave
the Cuban government more at lib
erty to investigate their activities.
When first-class powers are con-
cerned, break in diplomatic rela-
tions inevitably has been followed by
war. Between lesser powers this rule
often fails to hold good.
| :