Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-06-21
American Note Carraa ON Reception Which May Depend War

! conferences between Generals Scott,
Funston and Obregon began at FL
Paso, during which they signed on
May a project of memorandum, ad
referendum, regarding the withdrawal
of American troops. AS an indica-
ton of the alleged bad faith of the
American government, you state, that
although General Scott declared in
this memorandum that the destruc-
| ton and dispersion of the Villa band
chad been accomplished" yet Amer
| lean forces are not withdrawn from
Mexico. It is only necessary to read
the memorandum, which is in the
English language, to ascertain that
/ this is clearly misstatement, for the
memorandum states that "the Ameri-
can punitive expeditionary forces
have destroyed or dispersed many Of
/ the lawless elements and bandits
Il or have driven them far into the
interior of the republic of Mexico"
and further, that the United States
| forces were then carrying on vigor-
GUS pursuit of such small numbers of
bandits or law!ess elements as may
| have escaped"
U. S. Misrcpre5ented.
"The context of your note gives
the impression that the object of the
expedition being admittedly accom-
plished, the United States had agreed
in the memorandum to begin the with
! drawal of it's troops. The memoran-
dunn shows, however, that it was not
alone on account of partial dispersion
of the bandits that it was decided to
begin the withdrawal of American
forces, but equally on account of the
assurances Of the Mexican govern
ment that their forces were Eat the
present time being augmented and
strengthened to such an extent that
they will be able to prevent any dis
orders occurring in Mexico that would
in any way endanger American ter
ritory," and that they would "con-
tinue to diligently pursue, capture or
destroy any lawless bands of bandits
that may still exist, or hereafter exist,
in the northern part of Mexico" and
that it would make proper DISPOSE
ton of such of it's forces as may be
necessary to prevent the possibility of
invasion of American territory from
Mexico"
''1t was because Of these assurances
and because of General SCOTS con-
fidence that they would be carried out
that he stated in the memorandum
that the American forces would be
gradually withdrawn" 1t is to be
noted that while the American govern
ment was willing to ratify this agree
ment, General Carranza refused to do
so, as General Obregon stated, be-
cause, among other things, it i'm
poses conditions upon the Mexican
government.
Bandits Not Pursued.
notwithstanding the assurances in
that the forces of the de facto govern
pursuit of the remaining bandits, and
that no proper distribution of forces
to prevent the invasion of American
territory has been made as will be
shown by the further facts herein
after set forth. | am reluctant to be
forced to the conclusion which might
be drawn from these circumstances
that the de facto government, in spite
of the crimes committed and the
sinister designs of Villa and his fol-
lowers, did not and does not now in
tend or desire that these outlaws
should be captured, destroyed or dis
persed by American troops, or at the
request of this government, by MeXi-
can troops.
"While the conferences at Ell Paso
were in progress and after the Ameri-
can conferees had been assured ON
May 2 that the Mexican forces in the
northern part of the republic were
then being augmented SO as to be able
to prevent any disorders that would
endanger American territory, a band
of MeXicans, on the night of May S,
made an attack at Glenn Springs,
Tex, about 20 miles north of the Dor
der, killing American soldiers and
civilians, burning and sacking prop
erty and carrying off two Americans
as prisoners.
"Subsequent to this event the Mexi-
can government, as you state, gave
instructions to General Obregon to
notify that of the United States that
it would not permit the further pas
sage OF American troops into Mexico
on this account, and that orders had
been given to all military commanders
along the frontier not to consent to
same.
Oregon Did Not Deliver Notice.
AnlS government is, OF course, not
in position to dispute the statement
that these instructions had been given
to General Obregon, but it can def
initely assert that General Oregon
never gave any such notification to
General Scott or General Funston, or
so far as known, to any other Ameri-
can official. General Obregon did,
however, inquire as to whether Ameri-
can troops had entered Mexico in pur-
suit of the Glenn Springs raiders and
General Funston stated that no orders
had been issued to American troops
to cross the frontier on account of
the raid, but this statement was made
before any such orders had been
issued, and not afterwards, as the
erroneous account of the interview
given in your note would appear to
indicate.
Carranza Statement Denied,
Moreover, no statement was made
by the American generals that no
more American troops would cross
into your territory. On the con-
trary, it was pointed out to General
Obregon and to Mr.. Juan Amador,