The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-04-24
Says He Will Decline to BE
Dragged into War with
United States
NOT CONSULTED ABOUT
CARRANZA'S NOTE
Hopes Americans Will Bottle up Vera
Cruz So Tight They Cam. Ever Get
Water into 1t-Carranza' s Note Was
Not Hostile

Ell PAS0, Texas, April 24-Gen. Fran
CISCO Villa. head of the rebel military
forces, informed George {. Carothers sne-
eiai agent of the state department at am
interview here, yesterday that he will de-
dine to be dragged into a war with the
United States by any body WHY" he
,aid, smilingly. as he Threw an arm about
the broad shoulders Of the government
representative. all Europe would laugh
at rs ii we went TO war with YOU They
would say that little drunkard Hnerta
has drawn them into a tangle al last =
Villa SAID he was not consulted i'm the
drafting OF the CarranZa note tranemittc
10 Secretary Bryan Wednesday night and
which was regarded as somewhat hostile
IN tone The rebel leader told Ca1others
who reported the interview to tire state
department last night that one of the
/ ,hlct reasons he. came to .Iuarcz was to
show the American people that his attn
.udc was friendly and that he did not
|. ear or trust himself on the border with
'ot Il military escort behind him.
Took Supper With Villa.
Earothcrs took supper with Villa and
anVassed the situation thoroughly while
tong justice 10 an Amcrican mcal-,;slad.
sect and POTATOES. Honest" said the
ehci general, between mouthfal-. Il hone
j3ic Americans Will bottle an Vera Crnz
81 tight they can't ever get water into ii
\ G,lr admiral IS doing something it would
tavc taken uS a long time 10 ACCOMPLISH
/ We could have accomplished il nj all -
The general brought with him 100 wov-
en- rugs of the softcst lambs wool a. i
present for Cen. Scott who recently lett
Fort Bliss 10 become assistant chief Of
staff al Washington. Carothers promised
20 forward the gift along with Villa
congratulations TO the recipient of the
promotion.
| Villa said he had arranged with all for
elgners, except Spaniards. 10 shin ont
/ their cotton from Torreon on paving a
lwar tax to which the foreigners had
agreed. He said Spanish cotton was not
included in the arrangement having been
IeonIiseated, There are - 900 bales there
Valued at $50. 600
carranza's Note Was No. H,stile.
Roberto Y Pesqueira. Carranza : CONT
iential agent at FL Paso. insisted vester-
lay that the note of his CHIEF to Secretary
Bryan was not hostile. but was intended
T. basis for further negotiations. He
vas expecting a reply from Mr. Bryan set
ing forth the views Of the state dcrart-
ncnt
The rebel position Is that the American
toQps should ne withdrawn from Mexican
! oil. CarTan2a recognized A. defacto rfcsi.
dent. or at least as Il bclieerent. and the
punishment OF the individual Hucrta and
/ other individual offenders lett to the reh-
els. tarranza, il recognized would not
| hesitate to apologize and disayow the acI>
/ Of one whom he considers a traitor. 4
think his statement was fair and frank, :
said Pesdueira. and by no means a
threat Of war
! He was asked if the words used by Car
rama. viii drag us into any unequal war
| fare with dignity, but which until TODAY
We desire 10 avoid did not mean that
'arranza at least did desire war.
Not at all, Pesqueria replied. ..lt
couldn't mean that because | know thar
/ ny chief wants Pence For time it was
/ thought that the translation might be a,
| fault and that Carranza's Spanish really
meant ''hut to this very day we desire to
| lvoid, hut careful examination of the
| original showed that the translation was
| .orrcct. 1t was made by Samuel Belden.
! Pesquera and Carothers in consultation.
! They carefully weighed the meaning Of
every word and phrase.
/ Pesqnera said. as giving evidence of the
/ peaceful intentions of the rebel govern
ment, that Carran2a had refused num-
Der OF offers from federal earrsons to ioin
I'm i he would take the field against
| The United States
To all these offers we have returned
negative replies, SAID Pcsqueira I'VE
cannot ION forces with lIuerta for amy
purpose.