New-York tribune., 1916-02-18
Carranza Now Giving
Adequate Protection,
Says Lansing.
WILSON KEEPS
LETTERS SECRET
Refuses Senate's Request
to Make Public All
Correspondence.
F-nm Tie Irlbun. gnrs,nl !

Washington, Feb. lI.-AdmlttlnG
the slaughter Of seventy-six Ameri-
can civilians in Mexico, twenty
more civilians and sixteen Amer
can soldiers on the United States
side Of the border, and ninety-two
MeXicans on the American side Of
the border in the last three years,
the President to-day sent an answer
to the Senate in response to the re-
cent resolution of Senator Fall. Of
New Mexico. All of these death
are directly traceable TO the lack Of
order. for which Senator Fall
charges the United States is respon-
sible.
The report, which was in the form
Of a letter from Secretary Lansing,
admits that many more persons r1ay
have been killed, but says this is the
official record.
All of the correspondence between
the State Department and the Bra
lillian Minister in Mexico City, and
the correspondence with American
consular and other representatives
as to conditions in Mexico, were re-
fused, although asked by the reso-
luton, on the ground that it was
incompatible with public intere It"
to make them public.
Wilsonian traits are displayed IN
the report. For instance, whenever
in the long list of killed an Ameri-
can was put to death by Huertista
or Federal soldiers, it is stated that
he was murdered" In all save
two instances, where an American
was killed by Constituencies or
Yilistas, the report states that he
was "killed." The old prejudice
against Huerta apparently is still
felt by the administration.
WHY Carranza Was Recognized.
For the first time is revealed tie
,oeic of the administration in recOg-
nizing Carranza.
Substantially all the commanders
and others in authority who were asso-
cisted with General Villa" says the let
ter OF Secretary Lansing. replied di-
rectly and independently. in varied
language, accepting the suggestion Tor
a conference. On the other hand, all
the commanders and others in au-
thority who were affiliated with Cen
cral Carranza replied briefly to the
effect that the appeal had been referred
70 General Carranza, whose superior
authority they acknowledged and who
would make such reply as he deemed
proper The inference to be drawn was
plain. On the one hand, there seemed
TO be no central organization among
the Nillista forces. while, on the other
hand. submission TO central authority
was evidenced in the replies OF the
Carranzistas. Accordingly, the confer
rees. after careful and impartial con-
sideration. decided unanimously TO rec
ommend seyerally that the government
of which Carranza was the leader
should be recognized"
Evidently, IL was pointed out here
tonight, the effort 10 get the warning
factions of Mexico to agree TO con-
ference was trap, into which the
I %. a .f
the Villistas led them.
As TO the ability of Carranza TO full
I'll his promises to protect foreign lives
and property, Mr.. Lansing said that in
all the circumstances the de facto gov
ernment, which al the time OF recog-
milton controlled more than IS per cent
Of MoxicO's territory. was afording
reasonably adequate protection to the
lives and property of American citl-
zens."
Gives Details of Deaths.
The data disclosed that seventy-si-.
Americans were killed in Mexico in he
years 1913. 1914 and 1915, as compared
with fcrty-seven in the three years pre-
celing. and that twenty civilian Ameri-
cans and sixteen soldiers were killet
on American soil in the last three years
as "A result OF MeAlcdn ltOuDItN.
When the report was received Sena-
tor Stone. chairman of the Foreign Re
lstions Committee. moved that il lie
on the table and be printed as a public
document. He made no comment on
its contents.
The response to the resolution is ex-
pected 70 stir up q new discussion Of
the Mexican situation in the Senate and
TO bring a vote quickly on the nomina-
ton OF Henry Pratner Fletcher. as Am
bassador TO Mexico. Senator Fall intro
duced his resolution when the nomina-
tion was sent in. Republican members
of the Foreign Relations Committee
held that the Senate should not consent
10 sending an ambassador 10 Mexico
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