The Washington times., 1919-11-30

ing to Washington today viewed the
situation as most serious, and as de-
handing Immediate attention by Con-
gress. The Senators and Congressman
are strongly disposed to act in COM
plete harmony and accord with the
State Department, which is known
TO be willing to freely take the legis-
lative branch into full confidence.
The information, heretofore secret.
which the department is prepared to
supply to Congress will leave no
doubt as to the justification for the
firm stand taken in the Jenkins case
and for any action Congress may de-
termine upon.
Carranza's attitude has been one OF
special pleading and evasion ever
since the United States said to him in
unmistakable terms that Jenkins must
be released by the bandits. even
though CarranZa should have to sup
ply the ransom money.
Carranza's statement that he could
not interfere with the court processes s
Is negatived by the fact that he knows
the local court at Puebla has taken
jurisdiction of Jenkins in contraven :
tion of the Mexican constitution, pre-
pared under Carranzas supervision.
The constitution specifically provides
that Jenkins case should have been
handled by the federal courts.
See Ruse In Bail Plan.
The allegation that Jenkins might
have availed himself of bail Is under
stood here to be only ruse to get
him to do that very thing. The sug-
gestion is on all fours with Carranza's s
clear policy of making the owners of
oil properties sign some kind of an
ha Of ioI, "A
be to give Carranza jurisdiction over
properties with which he now has
nothing to do.
The fact that State Department of
ficials are as certain that the report
now awaited will show concIusiveIy
that Jenkins has not made contradic-
tory statements, as charged by CAN
ranza, warrants the belief that in or
der to be consistent the note, when il
does go forward. will present to the
Mexican government situation
which will Indicate most clearly that
1t Will have no escape
Ihe customary, and probably inevit-
able, course OF events is that, if Car
rama, Notwithstanding the pending
note of the State Department, should
show by his reply that he is to pur-
sue the same tactics indefinitely, the
State Department will notify Congress
that its efforts have been exhausted.
How Ii Could be Done.
That could be done either by an
answer TO resolution demanding
all information in connection with
the Mexican situation, or IL could be
conveyed to Congress in the Presi-
dents annual message. which is ey-
pected to be transmitted Tuesday.
There is already pending a resolu-
tion asking the State Department for
report on the Jenkins case. Since
that measure was introduced, how
ever, very important new matter"
has come into the hands OF the de.
partment. In order, therefore, for
Congress to act intelligently, 1T must
have the developments up to date
This would include the text of the
message to be sent momentariIy and
Carranza's reply.
Any new pretenses for delays, or
anything like evasion, would be fatal
to Carranza's position. Opinion has
crystaliized that he is either trying
to make good case against Jenkins
or that he has determined, no matter
what the merits of the case are, to
provoke the United States to send a
military expedition to take Jenkins
out of Carranza's grip in the city of
Puebla.