Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-20

i border so that they might prepare tC
prevent him from crossing the bound.
ary. Villas unhindered activities cul.
minated in the unprovoked and cold
blooded attack upon American soldiers
and citizens IN the town of Columbus
on the night of March g. the details OF
which do not need repetition in order
to refresh your memory with the hid
eousness of the crime.
No Cooperation.
4 The marauders engaged in the at
! tack on this city were driven back
across the border by American cavalry
and subsequently,, as soon as suffi-
! cient force to cope with the band could
/! be collected, were pursued into Mexico
In an effort to capture or destroy
] them. Without cooperation or assist
ance in the field, On the part of the de
facto government, despite repeated re-
quests by the United States and with
out apparent recognition on its part Of
I the desira bility Of putting an end to
these systematic raids, American forces
pursued the lawless band as far as
Parral. where the pursuit was halted
by the hostility Of the Mexicans per-
sumed to be loyal to the de facto gov
ernment. ,;s.
knowing full the circumstances set
forth, the de facto government shall
not be blind to the necessity which
compels this government to act
1t was charged that the troops
crossed the frontier without obtaining
the consent or permission of the de
facto government. Obviously, as inn
mediate action alone could avail there
was not opportunity to reach an
agreement (other than that of March
10-14 now refuted by Carranza) prior
70 the entrance of such. an expedition
into Mexico IL the expedition was to
be effective. After this correspond
ence has shown to the satisfaction of
this government that General Car
rama would not have entered into an.
agreement providing for an efficient
plan for the capture and destruction OF
the Villa band.
Attacks Unchecked.
While the conferences at Ell Paso
were going on and after the American
authorities had been assured that the
Mexican forces in the north mart tsofsthe
republic were then being augmented so
as to be able to prevent any disorders
that would epdaIsser American terri
tOAys q AdIA VI ASNlCdIS OIl JuG HlSuL
of May 5 attacked Glenn Springs, Tex,
about twenty miles north of the border,
killing American soldiers and citizens,
burning and sacking property and
carrying off two Americans as pris-
oners. Subsequent to this the Mexican
government as you~state, c'gave in
structions to Obregon to notify the
United States that it would not permi.
the further passage Of American troops
into Mexico on this account, that or
ders had been given to all commanders
along the frontier not to consent to
the same" This government is Of
course not in a position to dispute4he
statement that these instructions hat
been given to Obregon, but it can deci-
sively answer that General Obregon
never gave any such notification to
General Scott or General Funston, or
so far as is known, to any other Amer
ican officials. 1t was made clear to
Obregon that if the Mexican govern
ment did not take action at once to
prevent another invasion Of the United
States by these marauders, who were
seen in the company of General Nafar-
rette, the constitutionalist commander,
Mexico would find in Tamaulipas an
other punitive expedition similar to
that then in Chihuahua. American
troops crossed into Mexico on May 10
upon word to the local military authori-
ties, under repudiated agreement Of
March 1913, or in any event in ac-
cordance with the practice adopted
over forty years ago, when there was
20 agreement regarding pursuit Of
marauders across the international
boundary. These troops went 16S miles
into Mexico territory in pursuit Of the
Glenn Springs bandits, without meet |
ing a detachment of Mexican troops or
a single Mexican soldier.
Joekeying at Conference.
During the continuance Of the FL !!
Paso conference General Scott, you as
sert, did not take into consideration the |
plan proposed by the Mexican govern
ment for the protection Of the frontier |
by the reciprocal distribution Of troops |
along the boundary. This proposition !
was made by General Obregon several |
times, but each time conditioned upon |
the immediate withdrawal and the |
Mexican conferees were invariably in |
formed that immediate withdrawal |
could not take place and that, there |
fore, it was impossible to discuss the |
project on that basis.
have noted the fact that your COM
is not limited to discus
sion Of the deplorable condition exist |
ing along the border. but that an ef- |
fort is made to connect it with other !
things in order to support, il possible, i
a mistaken Interpretation Of the atti- |
tude of the government Of the United |
States towards Mexico. You say, in ef-
feet, that the American government has
placed every obstacle In the way of at /
tanning the pacification of Mexico.
Every Possible Aid.
In reply to this sweeping charge, I |
can truthfully affirm that the American /
government has given every possible /
to the de facto govern
ment in the pacification and rehabilita-
ton OF Mexico. From the moment Of I
It's recognition it has had the undivided |
support of this government. An en-
barge was placed on arms and ammu-
aition going into Chihuahua, Sonora,
and lower California In order to pre-
vent them falling into the hands Of
The armed opponents Of the de facto
I am surprised that the
ie facto government has construed Dip
omatic representations in regard to the
Unjust treatment accorded American
nteresta a. an interference by the