The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-04-28
VILLA ABJJRES WAR
WITH UNITED STATES
Says He viii Decline to BE Dragged
Into Such Fight With United
States.

States.
Ell Paso, April 23.-Gen. Francisco
Villa, head of the rebel military
forces, informed George c. Carothers,
special agent of the State department,
tha, he will decline to be dragged into
war with the United States by any
body.
why" he smiled as ne threw an
arm about the shoulder of the gov
ernment representative, "all Europe
would laugh at us if we went to war
with you They would say that little
drunkard Huerta has drawn them into
tangle at last
Villa said he was not consulted in
the drafting of the Carranza note
transmitted to Secetary Bryan last
night, and which was regarded as
somewhat hostile in tone
The rebel leader told Carothers,
who reported the interview to the
StSate department tonight, that one Of
the chief reasons he came to Juerez
was to show the American people that
his attitude was friendly! and that
ne did no. fear to trust himself en-
the border without military escort
behind him.
Carot1ers took supper with Villa
and canvassed the situation thor
oughly.
Would See the Trick
Honest said the rebel general
between mou.hfulls, q hope the
Americans bottle up Vera Cruz so
tight they can't even get water into it.
Your admiral is doing something it
would have taken Us a long ime to
accomplish il We could have accom-
plisled it at all
Villa said he had arranged With all
foreigners, except Spaniards, to ship
out their cotton from Tampico on
paying war tax, to which the for
eigners had agreed.
Robert V Pesquiera, Carranza's
confidential agent here, insisted today
that the note of his chief to Secre
tary Bryan was not hostile, but was
intended as basis for further nego-
tiations. He was expecting a reply
from Mr. Bryan setting forth the
views of the State department.
The rebel position is that the
troops should be withdrawn
from Mexican soil, Carranza recog-
nized as de falco president or at least
as belligerent, and the punishment
OF the individual Huerta and the other
individual offenders LEFT to the rebels.
Carranza if recognized would not
hesitate TO apologize and disavow the
acts of one whom he considers a
traitor
81 think his statement was fair and
frank said Pesquiera, "and by no
means a threat of war;
He was asked if the words used by
Carranza-"will drag us into an un-
equal warfare with dignity, but which,
until today, We desired to avoid
did not mean that Carranza at las, did
desire war.
Chief Wants Peace.
"No: at all he replied. cit could
not mean tha- because I know that
my chief wants peace"
For a time it was thought the
transaction might be a fault and thai
Carranzas $ Spanish really meant 's5ut
to this very day We desire to avoid"
but careful examination cf the orig
inal showed that the translation was
correct. It was made 0y Samuel Bel
don Pesquiera and Carothers in con-
sulta,ion. They carefully weighed the
meaning of every word and p1rase.
Pesquiera said, as giving evidence
Of the peaceful inten ions of the rebel
government, that Carranza had re-
fused a number of offers from federal
garrisons to join him if he would take
the field against the United S ates.
"To all these offers we have re-
turned negative replies said Pes
quiera. eve can not join forces with
Huerta for any purposes