Evening star., 1915-03-22
Recognition of Mexican Gov
ernment Only After Legal
Election of Ruler.
TITLE MUST BE CLEAR
OF TAINT OF MURDER
Gen. Villas Explanation of His Tax
on Foreigners-Says Ameri-
cans Were Exempted.

Recent events in Mexico have not
changed President Wilson's determination
not to recognize any government there
which il not the result of orderly cleo
tons
Various reports of efforts to induce the
United States to recognize Gen Villa
We're met at the White House today with
the statement that the Presidents policy
was unchanged and that he had no in
tention Of departing from it.
When a government has been estab-
lished by constitutional methods, where
murder has not been employed, the new
government will be recognized by the
United States. no matter who is at the
head of 1t, it is said. All the President
has insisted upon from the first Is that
the next government of Mexico shall be
legal one. established by legal ma
chinery and not through methods hereto
fore employed.
II villa is ever recognized as the head
OF the Mexican government 1t was
stated today. it will be because he has
been elected in constitutional manner.
Villa Explains Tax Levy.
Gen. Villa, at Monterey, has explained
to the American consul there, Secretary
Bryan today announced, that the pur-
pose of his tax on foreigners and others
was for the relief of the destitute and
poor.
In consideration of the relief afforded
by the American Red Cross, Americans
were not taxed. Only few foreigners
were assessed, some moderately and
others not at all, the general explained
Villa stated that measures would be
taken to keep food prices low as posi-
Bile. The city was reported quiet.
Carranza commanders, including Gen.
Villareal, seeing the desperateness of
the Carranza cause. are deserting and
coming to the American side of the
Rio Grande, according to statement
given out today by Gen. Villa s conf
Dental agency here.
Big Battle Imminent.
Indications are that the Carranza
and Villa forces soon will clash in the
vicinity Of Monterey and Tampico in
one of tn mostimportant battles of the
present civil strife in Mexico.
Advices received by the Carranza
agency from Vera Cruz last night
stated that "the Villa troops eyacu-
ated San Luis Potosi, due to the ap-
proach of Gen. Benjamin Hill with the
advance guard of Gen. Obregon's d.
VISION now moving north
This is the first intimation of the 6i-
rection which Gen Obregon took on
evacuating Mexico City, and with these
advices Carranza officials here admitted
that their forces were concentrating
for the defense of Tampico
Gen. Obregon is reported to have an
army of about $4,000 men. Gen. Pablo
Gonzalez, the Carransa commander at
Tampico, is said to have 1900 men.
Gen. Villa is at Monterey with his
,ty~p al, 80 M
derstood to have several thousand men
along the railroad lines approaching
San Luis Potosi and Tampico.
Back From Vera Cruz.
Eliseo Arredondo. head of the Car
ranza agency. returned to Washington
last evening from Vera Cruz. where he
spent two weeks comforting with his
chief. He issued statement saying:
THE one thing that struck me most
forcibly was the fact that the Mexican
people at large had finall- come to in
timately realize that the constitutional
list revolution is genuine movement
of reform and progress, having for its
sole end the betterment of the Mexican
nation.
The absten1ious life of Carranza
himself and the men surrounding him
has served to bring home to the people
that the constitutionalist movement is
not dedicated to the furtherance of
personal ambitions. but has only the
welfare of the nation at heart
Il discussed with Gen. Carranza the
Yucatan situation, and l can state
positively that all foreign interests and
investments will be amply protected. 1t
is false that property is being destroy
ed or that cities are being sacked.
Gen. Carranza exhausted every means
of bringing about a peaceful solution
of the Yucatan trouble before he sent
Gen. Alvarado to subdue the rebels
"Carranza is not inimicai to foreign
ers. His friendship for the United
States is unbounded. He is reviled
merely because as Mexican he puts
the interests of his own country above
everything else, and will not sacrifice
it's welfare to the financial interests
of certain grasping foreigners"