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Show U. S, SENATE MAY ; TAKE A HAM) ; Developments in Benton Case Will Decide Attitude in i Mexican Situation. f THREE RESOLUTIONS UP i Leaders Awaiting Result of In- vestigations Steps to Pro- l tect Foreigners Being I Considered. Ijj Washington, Feb. 23. Upon the developments of the next day or two In the case of William S. Benton, the ;j British ranchman executed by the Mexican Constitutionalist general, f Villa, it Juarez, seems to rest wheth- 1 er the senate will take a hand in the 1j A Mexican situation. J Acting Chairman Snivel? of the I A foreign relations committee, after a j conference with President Wilson to- ;l day said if the senate discussed Mex- ico. It would probably be upon some 1 or the pending resolutions which for months have been side-tracked, that ' the administration might be left free ! S1! ' to deal with the problem. There are three such resolutions. One by Senator Penrose proposes that United States troops be placed I HI In Mexico as a constabulary for tho r.lj protection of Americans. Another B by Senator Fall proposes to put tho II senate on record to the effect that j'k Americans and their property must bo protected. Still another by Sen-5 Sen-5 ator Sheppard concerns recognition of the belligerency of the constitutionalists. constitu-tionalists. If administration leaders let the 1 Mexican situation break out in sen- ! ate debate, it probably would be , upon either or both of the first two. Secretary Bryan today declined to discuss, deny or affirm whether he had demanded production of Benton's ;t body. An examination of its wounds, it was pointed out, probably would f disclose whether the Englishman was i executed by a firing squad or killed i by one shot, and also whether his J death was caused by rifle balls or revolver bullets. Details of Killing Lacking. ; Meanwhile no additional details of the killing had been received here. h nor had further report been made of & the-saYet-y.ofc-Bauchr- -an-AraerIcan- held as a spy at Chihuahua. 4 Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, the British a ambassador, continued to await re-: re-: ports, the result of the kllliug of Benton, before reporting to his government gov-ernment at London. Senator Shively, acting chairman of the foreign relations committee, conferred with President Wilson about foreign affairs and got all the ; information received by the presi dent on the killing of Benton. The senator saul afterward that the Ben-tori Ben-tori incident wns "still In process of Investigation." : Senator Shively was of the opinion that the Mexican situation would not ' be generally debated in the senate, at ;f . least until all the facts in the Ben-:' Ben-:' ton case had been gathered, and then, if it came up, the subject would ; be introduced in connection with Spending resolutions asking that the ;; t United States take certain steps to protect foreigners in Mexico. Request Benton's Body. El Paso, Texas, Feb. 23. The request re-quest of tho state department for the ' body of "W. S. Benton, made last Sat- I urday, has met with no response. George C. Carothers of the consular c service, visited Juarez today for a f reply but none had come. Mr. Carothers learned that Gustav I Bauch, the German-American being tried by the rebels as a spy, is still 4 safe at Chihuahua, and received re- newed assurances that he would not ,j be executed unless found guilty. ' Bauch is said to have given the only damaging testimony against ihimsoif, while robel friends testified to liis apparent harmlessness. Bauch told tho military court that he had been running an engine for tho federals fed-erals between Cludad Porfirlo Diaz and Monclova, carried a pass from the federal government and had many friends among the Huertaistas. "Why did you come to Juarez?" he was asked. "Oh, just to get drunk," he Is quot-' quot-' cd as replying. Bauch Has Rebel Friends. )'. His rebel friends confirmed this re- 'l ply and declared their opinion that ' ho was harmless, i No word was received as to when if the fifteen rejected American sol-i sol-i diers will bo returned from Chihua-rl Chihua-rl hua. It is hoped that among them P will be found at least some of the V foreigners reported missing Harry ICompton, Roger Laurence, and a man named Curtis. London Feb. 23. The putting to death of William S. Benton, a British subject, by General Francisco Villa. ' Mexican rebel 'leader' at Juarez, has aroused the British parliament and people to a keen apprehension of the British interests involved In the Mex- lean situation. i' The killing of Benton was the principal subject for discussion in 'j the house of commons this afternoon. ' A full house listened with intense in-i in-i terest to the explanation given by 1 Sir Edward Grey, foreign minister, and Sir Francis tykc-Acland, parliamentary par-liamentary under secretary for foreign for-eign affairs They spoke of the British Brit-ish government's attitude and dls-cussed dls-cussed their communications with Washington. i Francis Dyko-Acland replied with ) an emphatic "certainly" when asked m if the British government was re- i paired to co-operate heartily with I j tho United States government in this Wcfi matter. Mr. Acland also expressed the hope that the proposal of the United States would prove generally acceptable to the other powers. Mr, Acland emphasized the undc-sirability undc-sirability of publishing anything at present which might tend to increaso the chances of danger to British property at the hands of the contending con-tending parties In Mexico. Siga!ficant Cheer in House. A significant cheer was given by the members of the house when Sir Edward Grey said that Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, the British ambassador at Washington, hold told Secretary of State Bryan that public opinion in Europe was likely to be seriously affected af-fected by General Villa's actions: Sir Edward Grey explained fully that Great Britain did not hold the United States responsible for Villa's acts but he said the British government govern-ment was powerless to take any measures in the disturbed region. Several members questioned the secretary sec-retary for foreign affairs to make sure that the government was taking all possible steps to learn the facts of the Benton case. Walter Hlnes Page, the American ambassador, expressed his personal regret at the killing of Benton In an informal talk today with Sir Edward Grey. Benton's Death Called Plain Murder. Newspapers throughout the British Isles today gave a prominent place to information and comment on the killing of Benton, the general tenor of remarks being that the execution was plain murder. "The pacification of Mexico is an object we honestly desire to see accomplished, ac-complished, but It is impossible to effect it by British Intervention. We do not intend to make any attempt of that character, which would be both futile and impolite." This is the attitude of the British foreign office as outlined in the house of commons by Francis Dyke-Acland. Dyke-Acland. He promised to lay the papers pa-pers in subject of Mexico before the house of commons as soon as possible, possi-ble, but he added significantly: Interesting Papers From U. S. !'Tbe most Interesting papers at the British foreign office, however, are communications made at various times with the government of the United States concerning its policy and Its viewing of facts. Some of these are of a confidential character and I cannot include them in a blue book without asking the consent of the United States government." Sir Edward Grey said: "Before this incident occurred the United States government had, at our request, impressed upon the leaders of the constitutionalist party in Mexico, Mex-ico, the necessity of respecting the lives of foreigners. I should like to add that the fact that our communicating communi-cating with the government of the .JiftU&cL'&tates, does, not ot-courseinit, ply that it has any responsibility for what has taken place. "Communication had been made because the United States alone can In these circumstances exercise an influence to discover the truth and get justice done." Sir John Rees asked whether Sir Edward had any information regarding regard-ing other Europeans who are said to have disappeared In Mexico. "No," Sir Edward replied, "but I have already telegraphed to Sir Cecil Spring-Rice suggesting for his consideration con-sideration what steps it would be possible to take in this very disturbed disturb-ed region to ascertain the whereabouts wherea-bouts of these people." W.'fe's Note to Ambassador. Sir Edward Grey read a telegram Sir Cecil Spring-Rice received from Mrs. Benton at El Paso, which said: "I beg to advise your excelleucy that my husband, Benton,, a British subject, yesterday went to Juarez, and after a heated discussion with Villa was thrown into jail. A friend visited Villa on his behalf. Villa said: " 'I have not got him in prison. I saw hlra this morning,' and decliued any further talk on the subj.ect." Vera Cruz, Mex., Feb. 23. A government gov-ernment troop train carrying a company com-pany of infantry from Mexico City destined for .lalapa was blown up on Saturday afternoon by rebels. Tho wreck occurred near the Lima station of the Inter-occanic railway 140 miles from Vera Cruz. The explosion was terrific, demolishing demol-ishing the wnolc train. All on board, inculding fifty-five officers and men and tho English engineer, were killed. |