The Washington herald., 1915-03-10
Capture of City Reported.

Announcement was made by the con-
stitutionalist agency here yesterday that
the important city of Monterey has been
captured by forces under Gen. Pablo
Gonzales.
The Villa agency authorized the state
ment that no fear need be entertained
for the safety Of Mexico City after Gen.
ObregOn leaves. as Zapata is ready to
occupy the capital as soon as 1t Is
evacuated.
1t became known today that Rear Ad-
miral Howard. commanding the naval
squadron on the west coast of Mexico.
has recommended to Washington that a
| stop be put to the activities of Mexican
vessels operating on that coast. These
vessels. which are armed. are interfering
with commerce on the high seas. the ad-
miral reports. and he recommends that
he be authorized to seize and inferno
them
The first statement by Gen. Oregon re-
garding conditions in Mexico City. for
wAich he is held responsible was made
public here yesterday in the form of a
dispatch received at the constitutionalist
agency from the general himself
Gen. Obregons statement contradicts
much that has been reported to the State
Department and to foreign embassies
here by official representatives there.
and represents conditions as quite differ
ent from what Washington understands
them to be. Gen. Oregon asserts that the
persons on whom the United States gov
eminent relies for information are poi
soned against the constitutionalist cause
At the White House yesterday a similar
intimation was made with regard to
some reports from Mexico City, which, it
was declared. were based on a desire
to bring about American intervention
Gen. Obregon's statement is in part, as
follows:
81 note what You say in regard to the
perhdious efforts of the reactionaries to
disseminate false information In the
United states in regard to conditions in
Mexico city for the puopose of dscredit-
ing the Constitutionalist authorities.
The resident foreigners are absolutely
in no danger whatsoever. When l levied
the extraordinary assessment on the mer-
chants. bankers and others to alleviate
the poverty-stricken conditions Of the
poor. many of the business men, bank
ers and merchants gladly paid the tax
imposed, and other stated their willing
ness to comply with it il given addi-
tional time. They are now daily en-
deavoring to meet its requirements.
"False," Says Oregon.
1T is utterly Ease that 1 have pre-
vented food at any time from entering
Mexico City or at any time took sup
plies from the city to furnish them to
the army.
Owing to the depredations Of the "a
patistas the water supply has been short,
but every effort has been made to rem
edy this condition. Flour, coal, and
other commodities that must necessarily
be imported at all times, have not been
abundant. but vegetables and small
trucking that Mexico City at all times
obtains from the Indians who cultivate
small patches In the suburbs of the city.
have been as plentiful as the times
Justify.
Having heard that American news
papers were reporting that Catholic
priests had been the subject of mistreat-
ment and that they were suffering abuses
in their prison. I authorized the corre-
spondent Of La Prensa and the local
secretary Of the Associated Press to in
terview the clersymen themselves and
discover how they were being treated"
Gen. Obregon then proceeds to quote
from q report said to have been made
by these two men. asserting that the
priests. $50 OF whom were imprisoned by
obregon for not giving the money he