Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-30
AMERICAN TROOPS
N PANAMA CITIES
Government Says Action Is TAX
en- to Keep Order in Po-
litical Campaign.
PRES. URRlOLA PROTESTS
Declares Forces There Are Suf-
fcient to Prevent Possible
Disorder.
[By Associated Press1

PANAMA, June 29.-Cpon orders
from Washington. American troops be-
gan policing Panama and Colon at :,
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The &C.
ton was taken under the treaty OF 1904
! authorizing the United States to as
sumo this police duty whenever 1t was
necessary to maintain order. The gov
eminent OF Panama has protested to
| Washington against the measure.
Because tho former administ ra tion
had refused to correct conditions in
the two cities, soldiers in the Canal
Zone were forbidden to enter them.
and the civilian employees boycotted
! Colon and Panama until the mandate
Of the military authorities was carried
out by the Panama government. The
new administration, under Presiden
| Crriola. began to clean up the cities
| but in connection with this work an
| nounced that the elections fixed for
June 80 and July would be postponed
for six months because Of the fear
that serious disorders might occur IL
held on the dates set by law.
OPPOSITION FILES
PROTEST AT WASHIN GToN
| The opposition party protested to
| Washington against the deferrinS of
! the elections. claiming that such 2
| move would serve no purpose except
| to favor the candidates supported by
| the new administration. The Ameri-
can State Department advised Prtsi-
dent Crriola to hold the elections but
| he replied that a fair election could
not be held now, and suggested that
American commissioners supervise TIE
making up OF poll-books and assume
| charge of an election TO be held late
| in July or early in August. which the
| President said could be held in an
open and fair manner. No disorders
| have been reported since 1t was an
nounced that the decree fcrbidding the
elections would be enforced by the po-
| lice.
The opposition party again protested
to Washington and yesterday the
! American State Department notified
President Urrlola that because of dis.
| orders. American troops would police
| the cities until further notice. No
time limit being set. there IS no one
in Panama who knows how long the
| occupation will continue. DR.. Giro
Urriola, tho President. yesterday Is
sued statement on the situation. 1t
reads:
ISSUES STATEMENT
Foreign Secretary Lefevre states
that at IL o'clock this morning the
charge dafraires OF the United States
delivered a note informing him that
the United States, by virtue Of article
| Z of the treaty OF 1904. has ordered
that it's armed forces. at o'clock this
afternoon. would enter the cities Of
! t,t, liz
| order in them and on the waters ad-
! ;acent to them.
AT that hour. in the midst of pro-
found tranquility, the armed American
forces entered without the least re-
sistance on the part of our police or
| of the authorities. Notwithstanding tina!
the Panaman government did not have
| time to inform the city authorities as
to the manner in which the American
| troops would exercise their functions
as notice. because the memorandum
| covering this feature was not handed
70 me until after l o'clock in the
afternoon.
DECLARES HIS GOVERNMENT
ABLE TO ENFORCE ORDER
ct do not wish to characterize now
as unjustifiable this act Of the govern
ment Of the United States. but the fact
should be considered that my govern
ment with the forces at its disposal.
is able to maintain public order III the
whole nation, and without doubt i'll the
cities of Panama and Colon. True. 1t
is that there is considerable political
excitement because OF the approaching
elections, but this is characteristic of
all dcmocracies. 1t is also true that.
although there were fears OF disturb
ances in some parts of the republic,
nothing has taken place, nor could take
place. which would give rise to belief
that the government is impotcnt TO put
down with strong hand the least at
tempt ut public disorder.
cit is also pertinent that the political
problem which stirs the country could
have been solved satisfactorily by the
United States. whose friendly CO.
operation we solicited"
FILES PROTEST AGAINST
ACTION AS UNJUsTIFIABLE
President Urriola has prepared a
manifesto to the country. and yester-
day afternoon sent the following cable
gram to President Wilson:
To-day at II o'clock was informed
by the charge d'affaires OF the. United
States in this capital that at 2 o'clock
in tho afternoon the cities Of Panama
and Colon would be occupied by the
military forces OF the Canal Zone, on
the pretcxt of maintaining public order.
I protest against this interference.
which violates the sovereignty OF
Panama without any justification, in
asmuch as the government Of Panama
has sufficient means to maintain public
order In these cities. and i decline to
share with Your Excellen6y's govern
ment tho responsibilities which 30
grave an action implies.
GIRO LUIS URRIOLA."E