OCR Text |
Show ADOPTS DRASTIC MEASURES TO JND WAR For tho First Time In Fifteen Years, Government Invokes Clause Providing Pro-viding for Summary Action In Dealing With Intur-rectos. Intur-rectos. Mexico City, March 11. For the first time In fifteen years President Diaz has determined to invoke that clauso In tho constitution providing for summary action tho application of the death penalty where deemed ex pedlent. Tho permanent commission of congress, con-gress, which has the power to act as congress when that body is not In session, in accordance with tho lnw, roforrod tho measure covering this proposed action of tho government to a sub committee, which la instructed to report to tho Joint commission on Monday when tho measuro probnbly will bo adopted. A note accompanying tho bill and signed by Miguel Macedo, HUb-treasur-or at tho dopartment of tho Interior, says the president consldors tho long scries of depredations committed slnco November 20 of such a character charac-ter as to Justify tho application of that clauso In tho constitution providing pro-viding for tho suspension ofliersonal guarantees. This Is an intormedlato stato between be-tween civil government and martial law. Tho direction to presont tho bill for tho approval of congress was if) m) mtt(, nt n rccent cablnot meeting. KV It l8 naked that tho measuro bo put . In forco for six months from November Novem-ber 20, tho lato of tho bcglnnlg of tho revolution. Moxlco City, March 11. Thoroughly Thorough-ly aroused by tho spread of brlgandago and vandalism, Incident to tho revolution revolu-tion led by Francisco I. Madoro, and determined to protoct proporty, tho Diaz government this weok will bo-gin bo-gin to wago against tho lawless element ele-ment a pitiless war of extermination. Itesurrectlng a provision of tho Mexican Mex-ican constitution, not used In 15 years, and acting under Its authorba- Hon, tho government will set aside for six months certain personal guarantees. guaran-tees. Those detected in tho act of highway robbery, of raiding a villago or farm, or train wrecking, or cutting telegraph and telephone wires, or even ev-en of removing a spike from a railroad rail-road track or throwing a stono at a train will bo summarily shot by thoso making tho arrest. Wish of President Diaz. Tho bill providing for this drastic measuro was today sent to the permanent per-manent commission oftho federal congress. con-gress. It was signed by Miguel Macedo, Ma-cedo, sub-secretary of the department of the interior, and clearly states that its enactment Is tho wish of the president. That tho measure did not immediately immedia-tely become a law Is duo solely to official of-ficial form. The permanent commis sion Is a body endowed with power to act during that period when congress 1r not In session. Tho members unanimously unani-mously approved tho measuro, but under un-der tho low, It Is necessary that tho bill como up for a second reading. Same as Martial Law. It was referred to n Bubcommltteo and this was Instructed to report It to tho commission Monday nt a special spec-ial session. That It then will be favorably fa-vorably nccopted, Is undoubted. The decision to nsk for tho "suspension of personal guarantees,' 'provided for by thn rnnRtlhitlon. was reached by tho president In conferenco with tho mombers of his cabinet. This provls-Ion provls-Ion Is one calculated to permit tho federal government to put Into effect ef-fect at times of oxtrnordlnnry conditions condi-tions a form of government approaching approach-ing that of martial law. Under tho constitution tho government may go further and declaro martial law, but tho provision lnoked does not nbro-gato nbro-gato tho powers of tho civil authorities, authori-ties, but does deny, In cases of cor-tnln cor-tnln crimes, tho right of formal trial to tho accusod. Possibly tho nearest approach found in tho constitution of tho United Stntcs is that which permits, undor certain conditions, tho withdrawal of tho habeas corpus. Macedo'e Explanation. Explanatory of tho moasuro sont to tho congressional commission titer accompanied It In a noto also signed by Mr. Mac.edo. In this tho sub secretary secre-tary rovlowp tho growth of the rail road systems of the republic and calU attention to tho part thoy havo played In the development of tho country Slnco tho Inauguration of tho rovolu tlon, on November 20, tho noto says tho lawless element has destroyed In parts of tho republic railroad property proper-ty as well as other proporty, has endangered en-dangered tho lives of individuals and produced such a stato of affairs that tho president considers it advisable for tho government to avail itsolf of Its constitutional right to suspend certain cer-tain personal guarantees. An analagous condition prevails according ac-cording to this noto, In tho manner in which telephone and telegraph wires and transmission lines have been cut. Attention Is called to the Importance Import-ance of tho light and power to many of tho countries larger cities and says that tho criminal element has at times Interfered seriously with, them. Tho growing provalenco of highway robbery, plllago and tho raiding of villages and plantations Is destroyed nnd tho assurance given that tho president pres-ident wishes tho measuro adopted to provide drastic moans for dealing with those who also commit these offenses. Regrets the Necessity of Step. In his note Mr. Macedo Indirectly quotes Prosldent Diaz as saying ho regrets profoundly tho necessity of resorting re-sorting to means so oxtremo. Tho conditions now, however, aro such that ho considers the safeguarding of proporty of such great Importance that It Justifies rccourso to tho extreme provisions of tho constitution. Under tho terms of tho measuro crimes specified as thoso which will tako from tho accused tho ordinary right of formal trial, Includes Interference Interfer-ence with tho operation of trains, Interference In-terference with telegraph, telophono and transmission wires, kidnaping, highway robbery nnd nssault, or raiding raid-ing of villages and farms. |