Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-07
DOUBT WHETHER
MEXICO .ObEYED
DEMAND OF U. S.
Release Of Jenkins Came After
Friend Supplied Bail
Money, Dispatches
Assert.

Washington, Dec. 6.-Develop-
ments today left it still in doubt
whether Mexican officials really
complied with the request of the
United States in releasing William
o. jenkins, the American consular
agent, whose Imprisonment at PIT
ebla brought relations between the
two governments to critical point.
Press dispatches that the release
was accomplished only after bail
was furnished were not covered in
official advices to the State depart
ment, which said that Jenkins had
reported himself entirely ignorant of
the manner in which he was liber-
ated and that he was making an in
vestigation on his own account.
Upon the answer to this question
seems to hinge whether the sharp
diplomatic correspondence on the
subjects to be renewed, or the in
cident permitted to pass into his
tory.
Meantime the fact Of the release
itself apparently has relieved much
of the tension Of Mexican affairs
both at the State department and in
the senate, where uneasiness over
recent developments had produced
4 determined movement to ask for
a. severance of diplomatic relations.
Consider Break.
The resolution of Senator Fall,
republican, New Mexico, requesting
a diplomatic break was considered
at an afternoon conference OF re-
publican members of the foreign re-
iations committee, and it was decid-
ed not to press the proposal for &C
ton until President Wilson had sent
to the committee memorandum of
the advice Ire promised Senator Fall
yesterday at the White House con-
ference.
1t was indicated that there was
some difference of opinion among
the republican senators as to the ex-
pediency of the resolution and that
if the president expressed disapfrov-
al, it might not be pressed for &C
ton. A full committee will meet
again Monday.
Run Down a Clue.
In trying to establish the facts
behind Jenkins release, the State
department is running down sus-
pected connection between ]. Salter
Hensen, said to have furnished bail
for the consular agent, and the
Mexican government. Officials said
Hansen was reported to have had
some association with Luis Cabrera,
Carranza's, finance minister, and
that bail might have been forward
ed to Puebla as the least embarras-
sing method by which the Mexico
City officials could -extricate them
selves from the situation.
While the departments investi-
CATION is proceeding, officials here
still are waiting for Carranza's re-
ply to the last American request for
Jenkins release. Reports some
days ago indicated that it was in
preparation, but tonight it had not
been received at the department.
Says Crisis Passed.
Philadelphia, Pa, Dec. 6.-Bene-
dict Crowell, assistant secretary of
war, said in an interview today that
the crisis with Mexico is over.
Mr.. Crowell came to attend the
launching of a Hog Island ship
which his wife christened.
"As matter of fact" Mr.. Crow
ell said, so far as the army's inter-
est in the Mexican situation is con-
cerned, no mobilization orders were
given. .
There is no truth in the rumor
that troops have been ordered
at Camp Meade, Nd. Of
course, we are enlisting men right
along, forming them into groups
and sending them to southern train
ing camps
At the present time the army is
not sufficiently large to cope with
an emergency. We are down to
something like 10000 men. Almost
10000 of these are in Europe. We
also have forces in Siberia and our
island possessions" :