Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-12-05
NEWS review OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Carranza Refuses to Release
Jenkins and HostiIities With
Mexico Impend.
ARMY and navy ARE READY
Governments Efforts to End Coal
Strike by Negotiation Fall, Min
ers Rejecting GarneId's OFFER
of IA Per Cent Wage In
crease
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

It appears at this writing that the
breaking point with Mexico has been
reached at last-or should one say
again? Carranza's government, defy
ing the United States, has fatty re-
fused to release Consular Agent Jenk-
ins in response to the demand made
by our state department. Since that
demand was in the nature Of an ulti-
matum, threatening unpleasant con-
sequences it would seem either Wash
ington or Mexico must back water, or
hostilities will result.
The Mexican foreign Office said the
demand of the United States was not
based on any legal foundation or prin-
ciple of international law; that the
| executive department cannot under
Mexican law intervene now in an affair
| that is strictly in the hands Of state
| courts; that the Imprisonment of Jenk-
ins was neither arbitrary nor unjusti-
| fed, and that he is preventing his own
freedom by refusing to give bail. Mex
| ico's assertion that jenkins, as a con-
sular agent, was not immune from ar
rest is not contested in Washington.
but Secretary Lansing has stated that
| his department has more information
bearing on this case than has been
made public, and presumably, it is this
information that led to the demand
for the release of jenkins.
Reports from Mexico that have come
through official channels show that the
Mexicans have done all possible to dis
credit Jenkins. The court at Puebla re
fused to hear witnesses who would re-
fute the story that he was seen in
conference with members Of the gang
that kidnapped him; and according to
the correspondent of a newspaper of
Mexico City, number of poems de
clared the judge and police inspector
had exercised pressure on them to tes-
tify against jenkins.
1t was believed in Washington that
the administration would maintain its
firm stand In the crisis. Otherwise,
said the well-posted, congress would
take up the matter promptly after con-
vening, call for all the facts in the
case and proceed to frame a definite
policy. In both house and senate, 1t
|
in favor of a showdown with Carranza
who for years has flouted the United
States and in innumerable ways dis
played his open hostility. There Is nc
forgetting or forgiving his attitude and
actions during the war, which the gov
ernment knew all the time and with
which the public is becoming better &C
quainted every day.
Should armed intervention be nee
essary, we are in good condition fol
quick action, for the army has haG
this possibility in mind for some
! months. Along the border these forces
are now available. Both wings Of the
aviation service, including Is aero
squadrons, ten balloon companies, five
regiments of field artillery, ten of tn,
13 regiments of cavalry remaining il
the army organization, three regi
ments of engineers, one brigade of in
fantry, with four within calling dis
tance in the central department, 1!
= motor transport companies, one fell
i battalion and two telegraph battalion
u of the signal corps, % or more pacl
+ trains and all the additional force o
! supply to care for an army of that size
), The marine corps is ready for tn
7 emergency, and so is the navy. Witt
a fleet in the Pacific as well as tn
Atlantic, forces could be landed OF
both coasts If the navy needs NOR
= men the reserve force can be called OF
S and that includes large part of tn
n extra personnel in service during tn
d war.
e Besides looking on the arrest o