The Benson signal., 1916-07-01
U. S. WARNS CARRANzA
LANSING TELLS FIRST CHIEF
THAT "GRAVEST CONSE-
QUENCES" WILL FOL-
LOW ANY AT.
TACK.
Note Charges Oiscourtesy, Misrepre-
sentation of Facts and lnsincerity,
and That No Attempt Was
Made to Help Pursue
Bandits.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington, June 21.-The United
States noe to Gen. Carranza informs
him that American troops will not be
withdrawn from Mexico and warns
him that war will follow any attempt
on his part to enforce his threat to
attack the United States soldiers.
The note in part follows:
tary of foreign relations of the de
facto government of Mexico:
Department of State, Washington,
June 20, 1916. Sir-I have read your
communication, which was delivered
to me on May %, 1916, under instruc-
facto government of Mexico on the sub
3ect of the presence of American
troops in Mexican territory and l
would be wanting in candor If I did
cations of fact and the conclusions
reached by your government, express
the surprise and regret which have
been caused this government by the
discourteous tone and temper of this
last communication from the de factO
government of Mexico.
The government of the United States
has viewed with deep concern and
increasing disappointment tne p1.s-
ress of the revolution in Mexico. Con-
tinuous bloodshed and disorders have
marked its progress.
For three years the Mexican repub-
lie has been torn with civil strife; /;
the lives Of Americans and other aliens
have been sacrificed; vast properties
developed by American capital and en-
terprise have been destroyed or rem
dered non-productive; bandits have
been permitted to roam at will through
the territory contiguous to the Unit
ed States and to seize without pun
ishment or without effective attempt
at punishment the property of Ameri-
cans, while the lives of citizens of the
in Mexican territory Or to return there
to protect their interests have been
taken, in some cases barbarously TAX
en-, and the murderers have neither
tice.
It would be difficult to find in the
annals of the history of Mexico con-
ditions more deplorable than those
which have existed there during these
recent years of civil war.
1t would be tedious to recount in
stance after instance. outrage after
outrage, atrocity after atrocity, to
illustrate the true nature and extent
OF the widespread conditions of law
lessness and violence which have pre-
vailed.
Recounts Bandit Raids Across Border.
t1cular the frontier of the United
States along the lower Rio Grande has
been thrown into state of constant
apprehension and turmoil because OF
frequent and sudden incursions into
American territory and depredations
and murders on American soil by Mext-
can bandits, who have taken the lives
and DESTROYED the property of Ameri
lean citizens across the International
boundary, with the booty seized.
American garrlsons have been at
tackled at night, American soldiers
stolen. American ranches have been
ratded, property stolen and destroyed
and American trains wrecked and
plundered.
The attacks on Brownsville, Red
House Ferry, Progreso postoffice and
Las Peladas. all occurring during Sep
tember last, are typical. In these at
tacks on American territory Car
Eista soldiers took part in the looting,
burning and killing. Not only were
these murders charact eriZed by ruth
less brutality, but uncivilized acts of
mutftat1on were perpetEated.
Requests Have Proved Fntile.
CarranEa and he was emphatically re-
Quested to stop these reprehensible
acts in section which he has long
claimed to be under the complete domi-
Notwithstanding these representa-
tions and the promise of Gen. Nafar-
rete to prevent attacks along the in
ternational boundary in the following
was wrecked by bandits and several
persons killed seven miles north OF
Brownsville and an attack was made
upon United States troops at the same
place several days later. Since these
attacks leaders of the bandits, we'll
known to both Mexican civil and mill
tary authorities as well as to Ameri-
can officers, have been enjoying with
impunlty the liberty Of the towns of
northern Mexico.
So far has the indifference of the
de facto government to these atroc-
tiles gone that some of these leaders,
only the protection of that government,
but encouragement and aid as we'll
Depredations upon American persons
and property within Mexican jurisdic-
tion have been still more numerous.
This government has repeatedly re-
Quested In the strongest terms that
the de facto government safeguard the
lives and homes of American citizens
national obligation imposes, to Ameri-
can interests in the northern states of
Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila,
Chihuahua and Sonora and also in the
states to the south.
For example, on Jan. 3, troops were
requested to punish the bands of out
laws which looted the Cusi mining
property, eighty miles west of Chi
huahua, but no effective results came
from this request.
During the following week the
bandit Villa with his band of about
200 men was operating without oppO-
sition between Rubio and Santa Ysabel.
fact well known to Carranzista au-
thorities.
Meanwhile a party of unfortunate
Americans started by train from Chi
huahua to visit the Cusi mines, after
having received assurances from the
CarranZista authorities in the state of
Chihuahua that the country was safe
and that a guard on the train was not
necessary. The Americans held pass
ports or safe conducts issued by au-
thorities of the de facto government
ON Jan. 10 the train was stopped by
Villa bandits and eighteen of the
American party were stripped of their
clothing and shot in cold blood in what
Americans Reported Massacred.