Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-04
REPLY TO MEXICO
MEANS BUSINESS"
So Chairman Porter of House
Foreign Relations Committee
Says After Conference With
Secretary Lansing
POINTS TO DANGER
Declare Mexico Offers Fertile Fields 10
Anti-Americnn Tropngnndists and
Might Serve ms Base for Foreign
Army Attacking u. :.

Washington. Dec AFTER a conference
relative to the Mexican situation with
Secretary Lansing late to-day Chairman
Porter of the House foreign affairs COM
mittee expressed the opinion that 1.-THE
state department means business this
! time" Chairman Porter indicated that he
was in thorough accord with the govern
ment's present policy in dealing with the
Mexican situation.
Chairman Porter was with Secretary
Lansing for half an hour discussing
the Mexican situation in general and later
appeared hopeful of solution of the
trouble.
THE danger to the United States of
this condition of continual unrest and
feeling of hostility toward us in Mexico"
Mr., Porter said. lies in the fact that 1t
provides a fertile field for anti-Amercan
propaganda and even for a base for at
tack up the United States by any foreign
country that effected n combination with
Mexico. BY this the spirit. If not the
letter of the Monroe doctrine would be
violated.
Property rights have been violated
and the Mexican courts have declared
constitutional the conflscatory provisions
of the Mexican fundamental law against
which we have taken a strong stand.
have copy of the Mexican courts de-
cision in this matter. If we permit
the property rights of our nationals in
Mexico to be thus violated. where can
we stop? Suppose Brazil and Argentina
and Germany and other nations adopt
such confiscatory law Our interests
abroad would be wiped out
For three years or more I have been
firmly convinced that either am1cable
or forceful Intervention in Mexico by the
United States is inevitable. have heard
nothing here that leads me to change
my mind.
And l wish to say that / am convin ced
that the state department means business
this time. l also believe that when the
state departments firm stand is put be-
fore Congress we shall give it our strong
est support"
The governments note to Mexico, made
public here to-day at the nour of it's de-
livery in Mexico City renews the request
for the Immediate release Of William O.
Jenkins. the American consular agent
imprisoned at Puebla, and bluntly charges
Carranza with attempting to becloud the
issue
In the sharpest language yet addressed
to the Carranza government, and prob
usually addresses to another in a formal
diplomatic communication, the United
States says il regards Mexicos plea of
judicial reasons for not releasing Jen-
kins as mere excuses" and gives notice
that it will not be drawn away from the
main facts and into discussion Of "ir-
relevant and unimportant matters"
The attitude of the Carranza govern
ment in the matter, the note says. has
been to assume a wlful Indifference to
the feelings Of the American people and
the conclusion drawn by the government
is that Mexico has sought to divert the
attention of the American people and the
Mexican people as well from the fact that
Puebla, second largest city in Mexico Is
overrun by bandits while the civil au-
thorities are negligent.
No ultimatum was served, and no time
was given in which this government ex-
poets Jenkins to be released and neither
rived here on his way home. In an inter-
to what the course Of the American gov
eminent would be If the renewed request
for mis- release Is denied.