The Washington times., 1912-06-02
NEWS FROM MEXICO
IS ALL CENSORED,
DECLARES ys1ER
Man Writes to Brother Hcle
Scoring Federals for Mis-
leading World.

That newspaper correspondents are
unable to get authentic news of the bat
ties In Mexico, and that the American
people and the world In general are be-
ing systematically hoodwinked by the
Mexican federal authorities by we'll
organized press agent system dissemi-
mating false news, is the statement
made In lengthy communication to a
resident of this city by his brother,
who lives on a ranch in Torreon, Mex
leo. In the thick Of the contested terri
tory.
The communication in question was
brought to The, Times Office today, to-
gether with the envelope in which IL
was received. The latter IL postmarked
Torreon, May q, and was turned over
to this paper with the express under
standing that neither the name OF the
mate OF the Soldiers Home, here, are
70 pc mentioned. The reason given IL
that contained in the letter itself, in
wmeh WI ,,, tne writer implies that 1t would
Mexican federal authorities that he is
disclosing any of the real facts in con-
nection with the revolt in the southern
The writer does not hesitate to scors
President Taft for not recognizing the
insurgents, who, he says he believes
would end the war VIGOROUSLY inside
OF thlrty days, II the United States Gov
ernment would accord to them recoeni-
tion as belligerents against the federal
authorities of Mexico. He declares that
the rebels are winning victory after
victory, with q sms II loss. He calls at
tention to the exact report Of the num-
Der of insurgents killed and wounded.
which. he says, is handed out as a mat
ter Of news by the federal authorities
at the close Of every battle, although
he points out that 1t is manifestiy i'm
possible for those on the other side to
obtain anything like a correct estimate
OF the number of mortalities which
have been suffered by the opposing
| force.
Kept From Front.
With one exception, that Of the
Nueva Era, the government newspaper,
as he calls it, the writer declares that
all newspaper correspondents are ex-
cluded from the 'front.' and they are
obliged to depend for their news, en-
tirely upon that which is doled out to
them in the form of press agent state
ments by one of the local authorities
| whom he calls "the Jefe"
The statement is made that the in
surgent troops are better clothed and
better paid than are those of tho fed
eral government; that they are paid
regularly the sum Of 50 per day. The
|
said to be well treated, and the
wounded are said to receive excellent
hospital treatment and q dollar day
to spend.
Chihuahua, in control of the rebels,
Is much more orderly than those cities
in control Of the federal forces and the
railroads which are In control Of the
tnsurgent forces are said to be run on
| better schedule than when operated by
their original managers. 4
Few Rebels Killed.
AS an example of the way in which
he says the federal authorities are con-
stantly misrepresenting conditions at
the front, the writer cites the case OF
the last battle at Bellano, where. he
says, the federal authorities sent out
the report that they had killed 600 reb-
els, while, according to a Red Cross
| worker who assisted both sides during
the engagement and helped to pick uI
! the dead, there were a total of twenty
one dead rebels counted at the end o.
the engagement Another case cited II
that of the fight at Tlahualilo. a shor
time ago. in which the reported rebe
, loss was given as 1000, while the ownel
of the ranch on which the fighting tool
! place told the writer Of the letter tina
[ the dead among the rebel forces mum
: bered about twenty in all.
The writer disclaims any interest ir
the outcome beyond that of a wish tina
: the forces who can obtain law and or
der in the country will win.