Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-15

surrectes shall not be fought on Ameri-
can soil. He is equally determined that
the lives Of American non-combatants
shall not be endangered by the forces OF
President Diaz and those of Gen Madero:
Future combats between the repeis anu
the forces Of the Mexican government
must not be fought out SO close 10 tne
American line as to put In Jeopardy inc
lives and property OF Americans.
Through the State Department the
President last night notified the Mexican
government that IT must see 10 IL IN TUG
future that no such aniortanale 'iIo' s".a
as that OF Thursday at Aqua friela'
near Douglas. AriZ., when TWO amer
cans were killed and eleven wounded, be
allowed to occur. Through the war De
partment and through the Department ..
Justice the President sent the same sorl
of warning to the leader OF the lnsur-
rectos at Aqua Prieta- The view was eA-
pressed at the White House that tleos
warnings will be obeyed to the letter ana
that no more battles Will be lousnl III
the vicinity of the boundary.
Must Not Be Repeated.
Neither the President nor any OF his
advisers whom he called into consuita-
tton was inclined to regard the incl
dent at Aqua Prieta as forerunner OF
ANYTHING more serious. but they dld
conclude that It must not be repeated
The President knows that battle
grounds are not chosen like places lot
the holding of athletic contests. out at
the same time he takes the position
that preparations for battle mus. oe
made by the hostile forces in Mexico
with due consideration OF the erect
upon -combatant Americans. Inc
President knows that some OF tne
American spectators at Thursday al
fair near Douglas were eager 10 see
the fight and might have got too close
to the engaged forces, but he has been
Informed also that warning was given
to the insurrectos, at least, not to get
too close to the United States. Here
after this government expects both the
insurrectos and the Mexican federal
troops to erect trenches or make their
lines of battle far enough away from
American soil to make it certain that
Americans engaged in the occupations
of peace will not be interrupted by
bullets
Feels He Is Justified.
President Taft feels now that his order
sending the troops to Texas has been
entirely justified by the developments Of
the last few days. He Is more certain
than ever that conditions in the south
ern republic are. to say the least alarm
ing He is hoping that there will be no
need for any further movement TO the
south. but if there should be. he knows
that 2O,0OO American troops are near the
Rio Grande, and that on the river ana
the Mexican border itself. is already
force that is not insignificant.
The Presidents action last night 1oi-
lowed a conference with Attorney General
Wickersham. Secretary of war Dlc--.n-
son and Acting Secretary OF state Huht-
ington Wilson. Soon after the conference
CODY
of a telegram sent by the PRESIDENT
through Secretary Hiiles, to e. r Grin
DAN of the Douglas Ariz9 Chamber OF
Commerce and Mines. Mr. Grindall mao
nreyiouslv sent the following telegram to
the President:
During an engagement yesterday De
tween the federals and insurrectos IN
Aqua Prieta Mexico one m lie from Doug
ia two Americans were killed and eleven
wounded. including some children, Wnlle
attending to their business here in Doug
las Thousands Of bullets fell In our city
passing through residences ana eliuan-
gering life and property. Is there no way
By which Americans can be protected III
the peaceful pursuit of their affairs! Elk
pect more lighting on the line at any time.
Combatants yesterday fought WITHIN 'eh
feet of the American boundary.
President Sends Assurances.
In reply Mr.. Hilles wired:
ed. He is much distressed at the situation
as you have described IT. He has directed
the Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Wan to take steps by which such a
deplcrable occ ~rrence as that of yesterday
at Douglas may be avoided in the future
In the meantime the President sincerely
hopes that the chamber OF commerce ana
TIE local authorities of Douglas may use
all influence poss BILE upon your citizens to
keep as far away as possible from the
scene of fighting and to avoid taking
sides, in order not to aggravate stu
at on already acute
The Presidents instructions were trans
mitted by the War Department late yes
terday to the commanding officer of the
Department of Colorado, who Is making
his headquarters at Fort Huachuca, ARR
Today these Instructions will be repeated
to Gen. Duncan, commanding the Depart
ment Of Texas. and Gen. Bliss, command
ing the Department of California
Like Situations Elsewhere.
Situations similar to that in Arizona
exist in California and Texas. An attack
on Juarez, just across the border from
Ell Paso, seems impending, and conse-
ouently. the commander OF the Depart
ment of Texas is charged with the re-
sposibility of seeing that the city of Ell
Paso is not endangered. In California.
the city of Caiexico faces the Mexican
town of Mexical I'm the vicinity Of which
considerable fighting has occurred re-
Gently.
The War Department last night re.
ceived report from the commander OF
the Department of Colorado 1t said the
American forces offered no interference
to the battle. but one United states OF
fcer,. upon the request OF the federals,
crossed the line and endeavored to induce
the combatants to cease useless night
Fugitive Mexican Soldiers
Present Puzzling Problem
The disposition of the fifty Mexican
federal soldiers 0hree officers and forty
seven mem. who surrendered at the bat
tie of Aqua Prieta, and who are "in
charge" of the commanding officer of the
American forces at Douglas, Ariz., pre-
-sefts an intricate problem to the Ameri-
can government for solution.
The question whether these men should
he tterned and held az prisoners 10 be-