Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 276, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1920 — HARDING TO MEXICO? [ARTICLE]

HARDING TO MEXICO?

Considers invitation to Visit Obregon at Vera-Cruz. President-Elect Leaves New Orleans •n First Stage of Trig to Panama Canal. • Brownsville, Tex., Nov. 18. —Presi-dent-elect Harding left this city tor,New Orleans on the first stage of hl? ' trip to the Panama Canal Zone. He will sail from New Orleans this afternoon. An invitation from Mexican of-, ficiais to go into Mexico on the trip south has been taken under advisement by the President-elect. Should he accept his visit probably will be limited to a short stop at Vera Crus on his way from New- Orleans to the Panama Canal Zone. He has been | asked to go to Mexico City, but is. understood to consider so extensive a trip hnpossible because of engagements elsewhere. The invitation was brought to Brownsville by Elias L. Torres, who I ■said that In urging its acceptance be* spoke both for the Mexican foreign office and for Gen. Obregon, the Mexican president-elect. In an hour’s conference with the senator Mr.- Torres I made a special plea the senator be present at Obregon’s approaching inauguration. .. : Senator Fall of New Mexico, who was chairman of the senate subcoin- ( mlttee that investigated Mexican affairs, came to Brownsville with Mr. .Torres and was present at the conference between the Mexican envoy and -Senator Harding. Afterward/neither Mr. Torres nor Mr. Harding would make any comment, but Senator Fall "said the talk had been a most friendly one, and that it was his understanding that an effort would'be made to change the sailing schedule" go as to permit a short stop at Vera Cruz, dr some other main port. ‘ * Mr. Harding is saidi to be weighing carefully two considerations before making a decision. It is declared that -he is anxious to take every step to cement relations between the -two republics, but that, on the other hand he Is.determined to do nothing that might be construed as an international Impropriety! He has told his friends that if he gets fopt on soil of any foreign country during his trip he will do so solely as a private citizen and . not in any sense as an official representative of the United States government. » ■ —r , Aside from these points, there remains the question of whether or not the sailing arrangements already made hy the President-elect can be so modified as to permit a call on the Mexican coast. *