The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-21
MEXICO ARMS
UP TO WILSON
Munition Plants will Be Built
Across Border Unless Presi-
dent Interferes.
WARTIME POWER ONLY HOPE
PaImr Rules U. S. Cannot Pre-
vent Shipment of Machinery
to Make Guns.
BY Universal Service.

BY Universal Service.
Munition factories, equipped with
American machinery. are to be start
ed in Mexico unless President Will
son uses his wartime powers to
prevent the expectation of war ma
terial.
This became known yesterday
when Attorney General A. Mitchell
Palmer, in a formal opinion, ruled
that "the Government of the United
States, under the laws and regula-
tions now in force, cannot prevent
the expectation to Mexico Of ma
chinery to be used in the manufac-
ture of arms"
President Holds Power.
The opinion Of the Attorney Cen
eral came as q result Of a request
from the State Department whether
the United States could not legally
prevent the shipment of material into
Mexico.
IT was pointed out by officials of
the Department OF Justice. however.
thai as q temporary makeshfft, the
isHrESdtht, under tho authority vest
cd III him during the period Of the
war, which legally sti1I exists, may
prohibit the exportation Of any article
which he thinRe should be restricted.
In requesting the opinion Of the
Attorney General the State Depart
ment set forth that plan was un-
der way to establish in Mexico fac
tories which would manufacture
artillery. rifles and ammunition.
Considerable APPREHENSION was ex-
pressed in official circles today when
the opinion of the Attorney General
became known, as 1t Is no secret that
state Department orficials have all
along sought some means of putting
stop to the long list of crimes
against American citizens and prop
erty perpetrated by Mexican outlaws.
largely with American made arms.
shipments Long Banned
The actual shipment to Mexico of
for many months, except by special
permit OF the State Department, but
it is realized that the establishment
of arms factories in that country
with American machinery will in
validate this prohibition. which ap-
plies only to arms in their finished
shape.
Officials here expressed the belief
today that should arms factories ac-
tually become operative in Mexico
will continue indefinitely the wave of
outlawry and revolution which have
swept that country since the fall OF
Porfirio Diaz in 1909, eliminating in
the murder and outrage of hundreds
of American men and women.
Considerable disapproval was heard
of the Attorney Generals opinion to-
day, in which he declares that the
creation of munition plants in Mex
leo would hardly afford the same
as would flow from the expectation
of arms and munitions"
Expect Wilson to Act.
Officials in close touch with the
Mexican situation believe that on
the other hand the establishment of
permanent factories would mean that
the United States could never effec-
tually shut off shipments of arms to
Mexico, which has been found most
effective in the past.
Ine CTeatlOn VI All inutpenueUt sup
ply of arms, It is believed, would in
the end cause a serious situation to
arise. over which our Government
would have no control whatever.
In view of the adverse opinion OF
the Department of Justice, II is be-
lieyed certain that the President, un-
der his wartime powers. will act ex-
pressly to prohibit the expectation
of munitions machinery into Mexico
until such time as Congress can take
up the matter.
HERMOSILIO, Mexico, March 21.-
Nearly famished, and with several
OF their number injured. nine sur
vivors Of a troop OF fifty Carranza
cavalrymen arrived in the Altar dis
trict today after escaping the fate
OF their companions when the eroop
was ambushed by a band of Villistas
and Yaqui Indians, near Paloma. So
nora.
A large force Of Carranza troops
fas been dispatched to Palomas.
Los ANGELES, Cal, March 2I.-
Testimony to the effect that Mexican
government troops had wantonly exc
outed four people, three OF whom
were probably Americans, In Lower
California In 1911, that the office of
an American company had been
robbed OF a large sum OF money by
members of the Carranza forces and
that Mexican people lived in constant
fear OF the government troops was
given at yesterdays hearing OF the
Fall subcommittee OF the Senate For
eign Relations Committee In this city.