Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-24
Zapata Forces Aggravating
Famine Conditions Existing

Zapata forces are raiding the Mexico
City-VerX Cruz railway line. aggravat-
ing famine conditions, partially disab-
ling Mexico City's water mains. and
virtually eXhausting the Mexico City
fuel oil supply, upon which light and
power services in the Mexican capital
are dependent, according to advices to
the State Department today. Only
enough fuel oil remains in the capital
to last until Monday, it is reported
This condition of affairs in and around
Mexico City is looked upon in Villa cir
cles here as the answer of the Villa
Zapata combination to recent reports
that Carranza may be recognized by the
pan american powers, and as a rebuttal
of the claim that Carranza is in con-
troll of the most of Mexico.
Fuller and McCabe Free.
Dispatches from FL Paso today to
declared that Gen. Villa arrived at
Juarez, across from Ell Paso, last night,
for conferences with Washingtonians,
whom he has summoned to the border.
Referring to the kidnapping of Fuller
and McCabe, two United States citi-
zens. recently, it is said in border dis
patches that McCabe has been released
and is now in Ell Paso and that Fuller,
who also has been released. will ar
patches also say that the reported
evacuation of Torreon by the Villa
troops is false, and that Villa garrisons
continue to occupy Torreon and Du-
range. notwlthstanding the reports to
the contrary. Many Villa troop trains
are arriving at Juarez, it is said, bring
ing men who are to proceed to Sonora,
from which state Villa is said to be de-
termined to drive the Carranzistas.
The reports state that ample Villa
purposes, offensive or defensive
One telegram to a Villa sympathizer
in Washington from FL Paso today
said:
Villa sympathizers here do not be-
lieve that President Wilson can be per-
suaded to recognize Carranza, as such
would signify recognition of a military
dictatorship or despotism without
courts or other of those public institu-
tions de facto governments are re-
quired to have under United States
precedents to justify recognition.
Has Assumed" All Powers.
"Carranza," this telegram continues.
has never proclaimed any government,
assuming all the powers thereof him
self, while Villa, on the other hand,
demands and is fighting for the res
toration of constitutional government" )"
This telegram came from the Villa
headquarters at Juarez today.
United States interests on the borler
near Ell Paso are reported to be in
censed over the recent warning of the
State Department that United States
citizens should leave Villa territory. II
is said in kilograms today from Ell Paso
that this warning already has caused
a loss of $1,000.000 and has placed
SO, 900 men out of work because of the
shutting down of industrial plants in
northern Mexico.
News is said to be arriving at Ell
Paso daily of internal strife between
the Carranza chiefs and his principal
military leader. Gen. Obregon, and it
is reported that changes of alignment
on the part of these chiefs NAV come
at any hour. The kilograms from Ell
Paso also confirm the State Department
auyices that the large bodies of Villa
troops, aided by Zapata troops, in the
states of Pueblo and Vera Cruz have
been split into formidable detachments
for strategic reasons. to render the
Vera Mexico City railway line
Carranza troops, and that it is being
cut daily.
Objective Movement Imminent.
1t is said that concentration of
these troops for an objective movement
is momentarily imminent.
This is taken in Washington to indi-
cate that Vera Cruz. where Gen. Car
rama has been domicilcd may be at
tackled by the Villa-Zapata combina
ton in another effort to show that
Carranza is not in control of Mexico.
The State Department advices say
that the water shortage in Mexico City
is becoming serious. only enough re.
[majpiue TO last until Monday. A train.