The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-08
ADVISES MEXICAN
hunger TRUCE"
Stephen Bonsal Tells Red
Cross How to Relieve
Food Shortage.
mo THREAT OF FAMINE"
Carranza's Agent Here Declares Even
Poorest People Are Not in
Danger of Suffering.

A hunger truce" for the purpose OF
! affording opportunity for the alienation
of famine conditions prevailing in many
parts Of Mexico is the suggestion which
reached the Red Cross headquarters here
yesterday
Stephen A. Bonsal former war CORE
\ spondent and now associated with the
Philippine government. is the author OF
! the suggestion. He has taken a leave
of absence from his post in Manila and
| is making a tour through Mexico for the
purpose of surveying the general condi-
tons there with regard to the need for
| relief. He is reporting directly to the
Red Cross while on this tour.
The Villistas last night gave out a
statement regarding the treatment OF
Red Cross offers of assistance at Saltlllo
as follows:
I'm explanation of reports that the
Villa commander at Saltillo had declined
with thanks the offer of the American
Red Cross to send supplies into the city
the confidential agency wishes to say
that. although it has no official advices
on the subject. it regards the situation
as evidence that the supplies were not
needed in Saltillo. In no way should the
declination of the offer be regarded as
Indicating an anita gonistic attitude on the
part of the provisional government au-
thorities toward the work of the Red
Cross"
No Famine Threat, Ia Claim.
"In those sections of Mexico over which
the constitutionalist government holds
military or civil control there is no threat
of famine and no shortage OF foodstuff
supplies so serious as to threaten hunger
ever to the poorest of our population IN
the future, immediate or distant said
Elisco Arredondo. head of the confidential
agency of the CarranZa government in
Washington last night.
Press dispatches today make it appear
that the statements of this agency are
at serious variance with the reports to
the American Red Cross continued Mr..
Arredondo. This is an unfair assump-
ton. The reports from the military gov
ernors of the various states of Mexico re-
peated to this agency from Vera Cruz al
most daily have been given to the press
as rapidly as they were received. While
admitting shortages In one or another
staple article of food in this or that re-
gion none of these reports indicate that
the food situation is beyond the control
Of the constitutionalist authorities.
The deplorable conditions reported by
Special Agent Charles ]. O'Connor from
Mexico City may be assumed to be true
The responsibility and control of the fed
aral district is not at present held by |
Liz Ample IOOn sup
plies to relieve the alleged famine con- |
dition in Mexico City accompany the |
army of the center, which is just now |
making for the national capital The |
iefeat or withdrawal of the Zapat ista |
,orce in Mexico City will mean immedi- |
tie relief for the conditions Of which |
Mr.. OConnor complains. reasonably |
;areful survey of conditions as they ac-
ually exist will convince any fair-minded |
American that the responsibility for
anime conditions in the disaffected por-
ions of Mexico must not be laid at the
ioor of the constitutionalist government