The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-15
TAFT |NSTRUCTS
 MEXICAN ARMIES
 BETTER ''GO EASY'
President Determined That Americans Shall Not Be
 JeOpardized
HE WANTS NO MORE
 AGUA PRIETA AFFAIRS
Acute Situation Arises Over Killing and WOunding of Americans in Yesterdays Battle-Texas
 Army Now Justified

Washington, April 14.-President Taft Is determined that battles between Mex ican federals and insurrectos shall not be fought on American soil He is equally determined that the lives of American -combatants shall not be endangered by the forces of President Daz and those of General Madero. Flu ture combats between the rebels and the forces of the Mexican government must not be fought so close to the American line as to put in jeopardity the lives and property of Americans.
 Through the state department the President tonight notified the Mexi- can government it was to see to 1t in the future that no such unfortunate in- cidents as that of yesterday at Agua Prieta. near Douglas, Ariz., when two Americans were killed and II wounded, be allowed to occur Through the war department and through the department of justice the President sent the same sort of warning to the leader of the nsurrectos at Agua Prieta. The view was expressed at the White House to- night that these warnings will be obeyed to the letter and that more battles will be fought in the vicinity of the boundary. Neither the President nor any of his advisors whom he called into consultation tonight was inclined to regard the incident at Agua Prieta as a forerunner of anything more seri ous, but they did conclude that 1t must not be repeated.
 The President knows that battle grounds are not chosen like places for the holding of athletic contests, but at the same time he takes the position that preparations for battle must be made by the hostile forces in Mexico with due consideration of the effect on non -combatant Americans The President knows that some of the American spectators at yesterdays af- fair near Douglas were eager to see the fight and might have been 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 Mexican federal troops to erect trenches or make their line of battle far enough away from Amer ican soil to make it certain that peace ful Americans will not be harmed
 Maneuvers Justified
 President Taft feels his order in sending the troops to Texas has been entirely jus tifed by the developments of the last few days. He is more certain than ever that conditions in the republic to the south are, to say the least alarming. He is hoping there will be no need for any further movement to the south, but if there should be, he knows that 20,00O American troops are near the Rio Grande and that along that river and on the Mexican horder it. self is already force that Is not insis- nificant.
 The Presidents action tonight followed a. conference with Attorney General Wickersham, Secretary of War Dickin- son and Acting Secretary of State Hunt ington Wilson Soon after the conference broke up the White House gave out a copy of telegram sent by the President through Secretary Hilles to F. P. Grindall of the Douglas Chamber of Commerce snd Mines Mr Grindall had reported to the President by wire the casualties at Agua Prieta and asked
 ''Is there no way by which Americans can be protected in the peaceful pursuit Of their affairs?'
 Taft's Telegram
 "Your telegram to the President re ceiyed He is much distressed at the sit uation as you have described it. He has directed the Secretary of State and the Secretary of War to take steps by which such a deplorable occurrence as that of yesterday at Douglas may be avoided m the future. In the meantime he sincerely hopes that the chamber of commerce and the local authorities of Douglas may use all influence possible 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 situation all ready acute.'
 transmitted by the war department late today to the commanding officer of the department of the Colorado, wh O is making his headquarters at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
 Tomorrow these instructions will be repeated to General Duncan, command ing the department of Texas and Gen eral Bliss commanding the depart ment of California and Texas. An at tack on Juarez, Just across the border from Fl Paso seems impending and consequently the commander of the de- partment of Texas Is charged with the responsibility of seeing that the city of El Paso is not endangered In Cal ifornia, the city of Calexico faces the Mexican town of Mexicali. in the vicin- ity of which there has been consider able fighting recently.
 The war department tonight received report from the commander of the department of the Colorado. It said the American forces offered no interference in the battle but one United States of ficer; upon the request of the federals, crossed the line and endeavored to in duce the remainder of the federals to cease useless fight.
 SWOPES TO EMPLOY
 SPECIAL COUNSEL