The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-08-04
FINAL DEMANDS on MEXICO.
IN NAME OF HUMANITY REQUEST
is MADE TO ALLOW FOOD TO
REACH STARVING CITY.
Attack OH American, and Tiampling
OF Stars and Stripes Accentuates
Seriousness OF Conditions in Opin.
ion OF Washington Officials.


pie Of Mexico City, the state depart
ment tonight sent urgent representa-
tions to Carranza, Villa and Zapata
declaring avenues of transportation
to Mexico City must be opened to prs
vision trains.
The text of the representations,
signed by Secretary Lansing, was not
made public but it is known that the
document is a forrunner more
definite action soon to be taken In
the form of final demand that the
Mexican factions and their strife and
establish a constitutional government
by means Of joint conference.
Officials believe Gen. Carranza at
Vera Cruz can keep the railroads to
Mexico City from Vera Cruz open for
transportation Of food beyond Pachu-
ca at least and that either he or Zap
alta, in cooperation with Villa, can
control the line beyond that point.
Official reports from Mexico City
today said there was actual starvation
there and that conditions generally
were worse than ever: People of all
calsses are suffering. ."."
A message from Vera Cruz detail
ed an assault on an American near
Puebla and violation of the American
flag by Zapata soldiers a few days
ago. 1t served further to arouse Of
ficials here to the gravity of the sit
uation.
A new division Of Mexican affairs
was created today in the state de-
partment. Heretofore the Mexican
matters have been handled by the
division Of Latin-American affairs.
Leon j. Canova was appointed chief
of the new division, which will ham
die all diplomatic correspondence and
other business relating to Mexico.
Advices to the American Red Cross
from Charles ]. O'Connor, special r. ed
Cross representative directing relief
work in Mexico City, communicated
to Secretary Lansing today said:
Scarcity Of food is far greater
than it was two weeks ago. People
are actually starving. We have had
no supplies coming from the States.
Each time we have started to buy
anything here some change Of gov
ernment has made a change of plan
necessary. Conditions are more, chao-
tic than ever and there is not a single
government official with whom to
DEAL" ,5ui,
A letter from O'Connor dated Mex
leo City, July 10, said that stores were
closed and business paralyzed.eJ {
A message to the state department
dated July % detailed an assault up
on Allan Mallory, an American citi-
zen, b.. Zapata soldiers near Puebla.
Ma a-.ory, the report said, was in an
automobile with a son of the Chilean
minister to Mexico and two Spaniards,
the car en- route to the coast, flying
the American flag and carrying diplo-
matte correspondence.
Near Puebla the automobile was
stopped by a company of Zapata SOL
diers. The occupants were pulled out
and the American flag was torn from
the staff and trampled upon by. the
soldiers who took Mallory and his
companions before q Zapata officer.
They were searched and their papers
were taken and the two Spaniards
sentenced to be executed. Whether
sentence was carried out is not
known, the message bearing evidence
Of having been censored.
Mallory protested against the sem
fencing Of the Spaniards, one of
whom was his chauffeur.
Keep your mouth shut or you will
be shot," he was told by the officer
who later released him. An investi-
cation Of the incident has been Or
dered.
T. l.. Hudson, editor of The Mex
lean Herald. and his family are still
prisoners in Mexico City, another
message said. Orders for their re-
lease signed by President Chazaro,
head Of the Mexico City convention
government are said to have been
ignored and appeals from American
citizens and the Brazilian minister
have been fruitless.
The Villa agency tonight issued
statement denying the evacuation of
TOrreOn.