Mediation Favored In Mexico's Case.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 25, 1913:
President, It Is Said, Will Suggest It if Congressional Approval Is Pledged.
BRYAN MAY BE ARBITRATOR
Lawmakers Divided as to Whether Mexican Factions Should Be Consulted First.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, July 24.— Although the policy of offering to mediate between the warring factions in Mexico still is under consideration by President Wilson and his advisers, it is the understanding among Senators and Representatives that the mediation plan will be initiated if the President obtains assurance that it will meet the approval of Congress.
    The proposal to rescind the privilege now possessed by the Huerta Government of obtaining munitions of war from the United States probably will not be made effective until after the arrival in Washington of Henry Lane Wilson, the American Ambassador to Mexico, and his consultation with President Wilson and Secretary Bryan. Among Congressmen it is asserted the President has decided to stop these shipments.
    From what was told to their colleagues, Chairman Bacon of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Chairman Flood of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, after their conference with President Wilson about Mexican affairs yesterday, it is understood the proposed mediation, according to the plan outlined, is to be attempted through a single commissioner or a commission composed of several members. Among members of the Senate Committee the impression prevails that more than one commissioner should be appointed. Members of the House Committee inclined toward one commissioner.

House Members for Bryan.
    The dominant idea among the House Committeemen is that Secretary Bryan should serve. It is maintained somebody at present connected with the Government would be preferable to a man selected from outside. Secretary Bryan, it is argued, has shown no bias, and supposedly is acquainted with Mexican affairs. Another point made is that he is well known in Mexico, and would carry the prestige of being Secretary of State of the United States.
    A question discussed to-day was whether the mediation commission should be appointed prior to a suggestion to the contending factions in Mexico. Appointment before such a suggestion, it was commented, virtually would be an ultimatum to Huertistas and Constitutionalistas that they must accept mediation, whereas if both sides first consented there could be no cause of complaint.
    Agents of the Constitutionalistas are preparing a formal statement in which they will assert that the proposed Mexican national election is impracticable. They will contend mediation would mean that while the United States Government was endeavoring to harmonize the differences between the parties Gen. Huerta would remain in control of the governmental machinery in Mexico City, and to that they will not assent. Another assertion will be that if this Government refuses to permit munitions of war to be sent to the Federal forces, that refusal will recognize the Federals and Constitutionalistas as factions in de facto control of the parts of Mexico they control. Such recognition, it will be said, is all the revolutionists ask at this time.
    Still another point will be that the general election set for Oct. 20 cannot be recognize by the Constitutionalistas, because the act of the Mexican Congress providing for that election was dictated by Huerta.

Rebels Offer Peace Plan.
    The plan of peace proposed by the Constitutionalistas is to place the executive authority in the hands of a man who, immediately after peace is restored, will call an extraordinary session of the Mexican Congress to provide for an election in accordance with the Federal Constitution.
    Col. Venustiano Carranza, rebel Governor of Coahuila and leader of all the insurgents, will become a candidate for President of Mexico, it is said, at the regular election. He will not act as Provisional President.
    A suggestion put forth to-day was that it might become necessary for the United States to recognize two separate Governments in the present Mexican territory. That suggestion came from Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock of Nebraska, a Democratic member of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Senator Hitchcock also suggested that it might become the policy of the United States to annex two of the northwestern States of Mexico, as an indemnity for damages done to the property of Americans in the present troubles.
    It was reported to-day that ex-Representative John E. Lamb of Terre Haute, Ind., might be named as the American mediator. Mr. Lamb is a lawyer, a Democrat and a close friend of Vice President Marshall. He has been regarded as President Wilson's probable choice for Ambassador to Mexico to succeed Henry Lane Wilson. President Wilson received belated word from Ambassador Wilson through the State Department to-day that the Ambassador did not expect to reach New York from Havana until Saturday. It is generally understood that Ambassador Wilson's resignation will be accepted when his conferences in Washington end.
    The Ambassador will be asked to appear before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations as soon as it is convenient for him to do so. Members of the committee are reported to be irritated because they were not consulted by President Wilson as to the Mexican situation.