The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-18
Details About Mexico Are
 Given to Senate By Lansing

/ VI %NSS ~ ~~Ss SOSs ending January 1 and January b, 1915, prepared by the war department con- der are hereto appended. It will be seen from these reports that conditions along the border are practically normal.
 IN FULL CONTROL
 Tn respect to the evidence in the pos session of this government of the ability of the de facto government of Mexico to fulfill its promises and obligations rela- tive to protecting American lives and property in Mexico the departments in- formation indicates that the de facto gov ernment is now in control of all but a few sections of Mexico and that bear ing in mind that the nation is just emerg- ig from years of domestic strife, it may be said that within the territory which It controls it is affording in all the cir cumstances reasonably adequate protee ton to the lives and property of Ameri- can citizens, and 1t is taking steps to extend it's authority over and to restore order in sections now in the hands of the hostile factions.
 ''In this connection, however if sho,,Id be stated that the lawless conditions Which have long continued throughout a large part of the territory of Mexico are not easy to remedy and that the great number of bandits who have infested certain districts and destroyed property cannot be suppressed immediately, but that their suppressing will require some time for it's accomplishment, pending which it may be expected that they will commit sporadic outrages upon lives and property.
 "5. With reference to the protection of the lives and property of American citi- zens on or near the Mexican border there is inclosed herewith an extract from a letter on the subject from the Secre- tary of War, dated January 26, 1916.
 6. With regard to the settlement of American claims against the Mexican re- public for injuries to the lives or prop erty of American citizens the under signed has the honor to direct your at tention to the copy of letter from MT. Arredondo, dated October T. 1915, and its inclosure heretofore referred to and here. to appended.
 ''7 With reference to the assurances given by the Mexican government con cerning the protection of foreigners and citizens particularly respecting the free exercise of religion the undersigned in closes a letter on the subject from MT. Arredondo dated October 8, 1915.
 CORRESPONDENTS WITHHELD
 s. As heretofore stated it is not con sidered compatible with the public in- terest to transmit to the Senate at the present time the correspondence relat- ing to political conditions in Mexico Much of this correspondence is of a highly confidential nature submitted by the consular officers of the United States by diplomatic or consular officers of other governments, which have gra- ciously consented that their officers sup ply this government with information during the necessary absence of Ameri- can representatives and by other persons residing in Mexico To reveal the con : tents of the reports submitted by the representatives of the United States and by the representatives of other govern ments would be incompat tible with public interest, as it would tend to impair the usefulness of these officials to their re- spective governments; and to make pub lie the personal and the frequently con fidential statements submitted from time to time by civilians might seriously enl- barrass them.
 ''Tt may be added that the papers re- quested by the Senate resolutions com prise thousands of documents, the greafs1 part of which set forth individual opinion and suggestions from different points ot view and therefore contain mass of divergent and contradictory matter, in capable of reduction to a harmonious statement of facts regarding the situa- ton in Mexico or of the plans proposed for it's improvement.
 "9 With reference to the request for data, letters and reports relating to the closing of the port of Fl Paso and reopening the same to the impor- tation of meats from Juarez' the un- the port of Fl Paso has not been closed during this administration to the inn portations of meats from Juarez. If meats from Juarez were at any time prohibited entry into the United States it was because such meats were not properly prepared to pass the inspec- tion maintained under the regulations of the department of agriculture of this government and not because the port of Fl Paso was closed to any particular class of imports.
 DISPATCHES FROM VILLA
 With respect to the revocation of the mining decree issued ,by General Villa the undersigned encloses an ex- tract from a dispatch from the Amer ican consul at Chihuahua, dated duly 31, 1915, and a copy of the department s reply thereto, dated August II. 1915. There is also enclosed a copy of a telegram in regard to this matter from the Mine and Shelter Operators as- sociation, dated El Paso, Tex, August I6, 1915, together with copy of an undated telegram from MT. George C. Carothers the departments special agent. received by the department on August 12. 1915. stating that General Villas mining decree would not be en- forced
 '10 Concerning the occupation and evacuation of Vera Cruz by United Stat tes land and naval forces the un. dersigned has the honor to enclose a copy of Admiral Fletcher's telegram, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated April g, 1914, quoting a telegram from Admiral Mayo of the same date, re- porting the arrest at Tampico of the |paymaster and boats crew of the United States steamship Dolphin, copy of the letter from the Secretary of