LATIN AMERICA: Wild Charge

Despatches from Mexico City stated last week that the Attorney General of Mexico is preparing to file a claim for $10,000,000 damages against the U.S. Government with the General Claims Commission now sitting at Washington, on the ground that the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico from 1909 to 1913, Mr. Henry Lane Wilson, instigated assassination of President Madero of Mexico (1913).

At his Indianapolis home Mr. Wilson said: "I had no more to do with the overthrow of Madero than Woodrow Wilson, and of course he had nothing to do with it. This was purely a manufactured charge made by a newspaper correspondent. In response to that charge I instituted suit against Norman Hapgood (then editor of Harper's Weekly), and among other things obtained a confession of judgment.

"No sane person ever really believed in the ridiculous charge. I doubt if the Mexican Government is taking the step reported, as the fictional character of the charge long since has been demonstrated clearly by unquestionable evidence and by records of the Department of State."