New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-27
Secretary Asserts
Motive Is to Influence
Election
BORDER OFFICERS
TOLD TO PREPARE
Pershing Also Warned.
Capital SCOTS at
Charges
fFrom The rrfbins BurssB

Washington, Oct 26.-Chargcs
that for political purposes enemies
of the Administrators policy tow
ard Mexico" were planning a spec
tacular bandit attack on Pershing's
column or on the American border
between now and the date of the
election" were made by Secretary OF
War Baker to-day. Definite infor-
nation concerning this plan had been
received and forwarded to General
Funston, he said, with orders to pre-
pare for the attack.
The Tribune telephoned TO Mn
Baker at Martinsburg, w. Va, to-
night, where he made a political
speech, asking him if he intended his
charge to reflect on any American
citizens, or merely on Mexicans.
IL cannot add to the statement"
Mr.. Baker replied.
The Secretary was informed that
the charge was serious. amounting ia
treason if applied to Americans, but
he refused to modify his answer.
Text Of Statement
The statement follows:
"The War Department has re.
ceived definite information, confirmed
from other sources, that enemies Of
the Administrators policy toward
Mexico, in cooperation with Villa or
other bandits in Mexico, have ar
ranged a spectacular attack to be
made either upon some part of the
American forces or upon some Amer
lean community on the border be-
tween now and the date Of the cleo
ton, for the purpose of turning tss
tide of sentiment against the policy
which the Administration has adopted
for the protection of the border.
1T is significant in this connection
that both the State and War Depart
ments were advised that the bandit
forces operating at the present time
in Mexico are being paid in silver
coin.
Full particulars have been trans.
mitted to General Funston and Gen.
eral Pershing. All American forces
are, therefore, forewarned and In
readiness for such an attack"
Army officers Indignant
Army officers denied that any In.
formation had been received at the
War Department through military
channels Of such a projected attack.
They expressed the greatest indigns-
ton at Secretary Bakers language,
which they declared was apparently
put out for political purposes"
"The statement will prove boor-
erang," one officer declared. The
American people will not countensnee
an implication that American citizens
for political reasons would deliberately
assist an attack on American soldierc.
II that is what Mr.. Baker means-snd
see no other way to interpret it-it
certainly is not true, and no army ON
GER would believe it for a minute"
"Such an imputation from Secretary
Baker is most unfortunate" another
officer said, ain view of his recent re-
fections on Wsshington's army"
Lansing Issues Denial
When Secretary Lansing learned late
tonight OF the effect that Secretary
Bakers statement had produced he
quickly denied that Mr.. Baker had any
intention Of duplicating American citi-
zens in the bandit plot. He said 1t had
been called to his attention that "sn
effort would be made 10 construe the
War Department statement as a politi-
cal play and as an assault on tho Ad-
ministration's political opponents"
He denounced such a construction as
absolutely false.
Politics were not given thought in
connection with the matter" he said.
at is inconceivsble that any American
would ally himself with Mexieans 10
attack his own countrymen.'
The statement was issued, he de-
clared, in the belief that in addition
to the warning to the American forces
on the border the public should be in
formed Of the plot, and that publies-
ton might cause the plot to be aoan'
doned.
Mr.. Lansing was informed that im-
partial critics such as army officers
had declared the statement was csps'