Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-18
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Washington, D. C. July 1S.-Pres-
ident Wilson had a long talk with
Frank Polk, acting secretary of
state, today, and while the latter is
soon to go abroad to take Mr.. Lam
sings place on the American peace
mission. the acuteness of the Mex
lean situation did not escape atten-
ton. Mr. Polk together with Am
bassador Fletcher, who is on tenn
porary duty at the department OF
state. have been following their
own judgment on Mexican affairs
in the absence of the president but
now that MI Wilson is back it is
natural for them to seek guidance
as to the immediate future. The
house rules committee, incidentally,
has summoned the American am
bassador to answer questions about
the whole Mexican situation which
may become one of the most i'm
portant of the congressional in
quiries.
Change in Policy!
Repeatedly during the last month
have there been intimations Of a
change in policy on the part of
President Wilson toward Mexico.
Watchful waiting was said TO have
given way to watchful prepared
ness. This assumption grew out of
the prompt steps taken by the war
department to prevent firing by /
Villa troops into American territory |
at Ell Paso. The Mexican govern !
ment largely for domestic reasons |
made representations concerning |
the passage OF American troops !
across the line but inasmuch as /
there was ample precedent for the
action, the protest was not followed /
up or renewed.
So far as raids on the border are |
concerned, it is true that a new
policy has already been executed-I
firing into American territory will |
mean pursuit of those doing the FIR |
ing. But with respect to the pro-
lection of American residents in !
Mexico, President Wilson's position i
cannot be said to have changed yet ,
though he is being urged to do /
something more than write protests
to the Mexican government The
murder of John W. CorreIl in the I
1
bring matters to head. The Wash 1
ington government is insistent that
the bandits be punished but this is
substantially what has been said in
every case.
Not An Isolated Case.
If the United States government
felt satisfied that the campaign
against the northern bandits had
been energetically pushed. it would
be inclined to regard the Correll
case as isolated but unfortunately
it is one of a series of such happen
ings the responsibility for which
is being placed upon the recognized
of Mexico.
Besides the protection of foreign
ers in Mexico, another controversy
has caused i'll feeling. 1t is the at
tempt of the Carranza administra-
ton to compel American owners of
oil property to yield ownership of
their leases to the Mexican govern
ment. The United States govern
ment flatly declares such pro-
posal to be confiscation /,
Blame Placed at Mexico City.
One high official of the American
said frankly today that
if the situation between the gov
ernment of Mexico and the United
States was again becoming tense,
the fault was in Mexico City. He
cited the sending of troops to pre-
vent an American from boring for
oil on his property. 1t was suggest
ed here that possibly the Mexican
itelf did not intend at
the outset to bring the oil contro-
versy to a head but that some
official may have ex-
ceeded his authority.
In any event the position adopted
by the Mexican government in re-
fusing to issue provisional permits {
enabling oil owners to continue
business while the legal questions !
are threshed out is one on which
It is confidently expected that some
change will be made by Mexico her
self. The state department has
argued that Mexico's legal claims |
will not in the least be disparaged
1y the issuance of provisional per ,
nits, and. on the other hand. if Car
-anza should justify his legal con- 6
.ention. then it would be to his ad-
Tantage to have more wells drilled
and in production.
Armed Intervention Unlikely.
1t is unlikely that anything
to armed intervention |
will issue from the oil question !
alone. The government of the Unit
I'd States is inclined TO Iook unon