Evening star., 1915-07-15
Millions of Currency, But Most
of 1t Worthless, in Peo-
pies Hands.
SUPPLIES COMING IN,
BUT REAL CASH SCARCE
Red Cross Told State Will Feed the
Poor-Villistas Claim Sue
cess in North.


Of siege and with prospects of food
for the starving. is confronted now
with money famine. Millions in cur
rency, issued by the various factions
as control of the capital passed back
and forth between them during the last
year, have been repudiated by each
succeeding government. Although sup
ported by decree while the issuing fac
ton remained in control, all such cur
rency now in the hands of the popu-
lace is of doubtful value.
Villa issued large amounts, as did
Zapata, and when Gen. Obregon first
occupied the city for Gen. Carranza
he made large issue. Now that food
may come in many of the famished,
although possessed of some kind OF
money, may be unable to buy it.
Officials here have been expecting
that the CarranZa government Will act
to regulate the situation.
Travellers arriving yesterday at Vera
Cruz reported Mexico City quiet. ana
said foreigners were safe from mo-
lestation. The populace seemed indif-
ernment.
villista Claims.
The Villa agency here believes that
the promise of an amnesty law by Gen.
Carranza will have no effect upon the
situation. The Villistas insist that the
Villa forces are pressing forward In a
lively campaign toward Mexico City,
and that before long Gen. Gonzales.
commanding the Carranza forces, may
be compelled to face another battle
for possession of the capital city.
Reports received at the State Depart
ment today indicate that the conven-
tionalists under Gen. Zapata. before
evacuating Mexico City, seized consid-
cradle private property. including auto
mobiles. The seat of the so-called con-
vention government has been estab-
lished in a Zapata stronghold some
forty or fifty miles from Mexico City,
it is reported.
Conflicting reports are reaching
the north. some of the dispatches claim
ing victories for the Villa forces and
others for the Carranza faction. There
appears to be no news from the army
Of Gen. Obregon.
Red Cross officials have received dis
patches from Vera Cruz stating that
the distribution of Red Cross supplies
in that city through the American con :
sulate had been stopped by Gov Agui-
lar, who asserted that the state gov
ernment proposed to institute a public
mess for the hungry and that the needy
were few. Since that time, according
to the report, considerable destitution
has been found. Instructions from the
garding the situation are to be for
warded tomorrow.
Trouble in Yucatan.
Trouble has arisen again in Yucatan
over the sisal situation, American pur-
chasers, principally the International
Harvester Company, complaining to the
State Department that the Carranza
forces have completely cut them off
from exporting their products at Pro-
greso.
Representatives Of the harvester
company said they had been denied
dock privileges at Progreso and there
fore could not ship sisal purchased
long ago. Some time ago the Carranza
authorities. who are said to control a
large stock of sisal which they seek
to sell to foreign purchasers. denied
cars to the American buyers.
Then the Americans got their sisal to
the docks by mule teams and other
conveyances, but it is now asserted
that they are refused use of the docks
for loading.
An investigation is being made by
the government The Navy Depart
ment received a message from Progre-
so stating that export duties had been
increased. and that exports had greatly
decreased in the last month.
Gen. Gonzales, commanding the Car
rama forces in Mexico City, has prom
ised the international relief committee
every cooperation with it's work. The
committee is headed by the Brazilian
minister, who has been acting for
American interests.