The Washington herald., 1914-06-18
VILLA now Is POWER
BEHIND CoNsFTTUTI0NALIsT
MOVEMENT IN MEXICO

Secretary Of State Bryan late yester-
day afternoon received report from
Consul Edwards at Ei Paso. that the
split between Carranxa and villa had
been patched up and that villa had lefs
for zacatecas to assume command Of the
rebel advance on Mexico, City.
Consul Edwards reported that the tense
situation which thus has been relieved
would not AFFECT the progress OF the con-
stitutionalist cause nor interfere with
the advance of Its armies.
According to the Consuls report. the
sending Of villa to the front and the
Withdrawal of his resignation was ac-
complished through the virtual coercion
Of Gen. Carranza by the high oficers
OF his army. including Acting Minister
of War Gen. Felife Angelica II was the
announcement by Carransa Of his inten-
tion to appoint Gen. Angeles commander
in-chief OF the rebel armierin the North
that precipitated what amounted to the
revolt of villa and the other generals.
The Incidents recounted In Consul Ed.
wards report are substantially as fol-
lows:
Side with yilla.
villa was relieved Of command of the
army and was ordered to take up the
duties OF military government Of the state
Of Chihuahua. He Immediately sent his
RESIGNATION to Carransa-
conference OF the generals was hur-
riedly called, some twelve OF them meet.
ing. to discuss the situation. It developed
that all of them sided with Villa. Es-
pecially was this true Of Gen Angeles
whom Carranza had chosen to supersede
Villa,
The generals called upon Carranza and
informed him Of their position. At this
ln AA obi
Is left oh. and the statement Is made that
soon after the conference Of the generals
Villa left to assume command at Zaca-
tecas, the scene OF the recent constitu-
tionalist defeat.
The accepted belief here. based upon
the information in possession Of the
State Department.. Is that there actually
was a revolt of the army generals
against Carranza, and that the prestige
of the so-called provisional president
has been badly damaged by the Incl
the past two days have established
that the constitutionalist cause is army
controlled. and confidence now exists
that Carranzas personal envy OF villa
will be sternly suppressed in the future
by the army generals themselves.
Carran.a oat of II.
The chief signincance OF the row De-
tween Carranza and Villa and the for
mer's backdown lies in the fact that II
has confirmed the impression that has
prevailed here that Villa Is the real force
behind the constitutionaiist movement.
While the present trouble has been
smoothed over, 1t probably Is only the
beginning OF a split between the first
chief and his military leader. Persons
in Washington familiar with the Mexican
situation are asserting that II the consti-
tutionalist forces march victoriously into
Mexico City Carranza will ind himself
shunted aside and the real power In the
hands Of Villa and his friends.
The administration Is badly out OF pa
tience with Carranza because OF the diff
ficulties which have been experienced In
dealing with him. and they regard villa
! as being at heart much more friendly to
the United States and much more sus-
ceptible to reasonable arguments on the
part OF this government
No expression. indirect or otherwise
ever has come to Washington officials OF
the attitude of villa toward mediation
He has remained silent on this subject
taking the position that II was some
thing to be handled by the civil authori-
ties Of the constitutionalist cause ON
cials here believe, however, that with
Villa at the helm the American inter.
changes with the constitutionalists would
be rid of the Carranzista suspicious which
have cropped out from time to time
especially in the last few weeks