The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-21
Carranza Troops Are Re- ported Within Fifty
 Miles of City
VILLA FOLLOWERS
 LEAVING FOR NORTH
Convention Forces Are Modifying at Torre0n. While Zapata Troops Gather South of the
 City of Mexico

Washington, January 2O.-Adviccs the Mexican capital soon would he evacuated by the convention forces. Csrranzn troops arc reported at Arem. within 30 miles of the city.
 State department dispatches said Gen eral Villas followers were leaving for tn enorth," but did not explain whether the movement was general or merely pre- liminary to evacuation General Villa has been named again as commander-in-chlef of the convention forces
 The last dispatch from Mexico City. dated D. m. yesterday. was summarized in this. announcement from the state de- partment:
 "A dispatch from Mexico City states that the followers of General Villa are leaving for the north and it is reported that the general offices of the National railways are to be at Chihuahua.
 The convention still continues its ses- sion. and has adopted the first two articles of the proposed plan of government. A manifesto has been issued calling on the Mexican nation to support the conven- tion. General Villa was confirmed commander-in-chief and was given a com plimentary vote of confidence.
 Villa Expected
 The department is informed that Gen eral Villa was expected to arrive a. Aguas Calientes on the night of the 18th and that SD far not many troops have deserted him."
 The two articles referred to provide first. that when a 'pre-oonsttutionals President is chosen to succeed Rogue Gonzalez Garza. his term shall expire December sl of the present year. an elec- | ton being planned for next autumn 10 select constitutional President. The sec ! ond article provides for the recall Of l the "pre-constitutional President by a two-thirds vote of the convention in case | he commits any acts against the sov- 1 ereignty or integrity of the convuution, | or if any important political matters are concluded without the previous consent of the cabinet.
 1 The Carranza agency here tonight is- ! sued the folowing
 1! "El Paso reports that advces from the south state that Villa Is concentrating | hiS forces on Torreon, and that the Za- | pata troops are concentrating at Cuer- | nayaca. Morelos, south of Mexico City. | General Benavides, with 1000 men at San Luis Potosi. has declared for Carranza. | Alberto de Fuentes, former treasurer of the conventionists, has been shot by Vil- las order.
 Zuazua Advancing Laredo reports that Gen. Fortunate I Zua2ua with strong constitutionalist 1 force. is advancing on Saltillo. General 1 Germino Alvarez. Villista governor Of San Luis Potosi. with his force of 40OO men. has embraced the constitutionalist 1 cause"
 l The state department summarized dis l patches saying there appeared to be general belief that the forces. of General 1 Villa soon would occupy the territory surrounding Piedras Negras. The state | ment continued:
 1 "Thc department is in receipt of tele- gram from Tampico stating that there l ifs no change in the situation, It is stated | that in compliance with the recent oil | decree petroleum companies have closed down field operations. The department interprets this to mean construction work begun and not completed. such as the drilling of new wells as it would ap- pear from previous advices that wells | already under production will not be in- terfered with. Tho number of Ameri- cans out of employment in Tampico 10 said to be increasing daily