The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-20

or desire that these outlaws should be
captured. destroyed or dispersed by
American troops or at the request OF
this government by Mexican troops.
The Glenn Springs Raid.
While the conferences at Ell Paso
were in progress, and after the Ameri-
can conferees had been assured on May
that the Mexican forces in the north
ern part of the republic were then be-
ing augmented so as to be able to pre-
vent any disorders that would endan-
ger American territory, band or
Mexicans, on the night of May 5, made
an attack at Glenn Springs, Texas,
about 20 miles north of the border,
killing American soldiers and civilians,
burning and sacking property and car
rying off two Americans as prisoners
Subsequent to this event, the Mexican
government as you state, gave IN
structions to General Obregon to no
tify the government of the United
States that it would not permit the
further passage of American troops in
| to Mexico on this account and that
| orders had been given to all military
commanders along the frontier not to
! consent to same"
This government is, of course, not in
a position to dispute the statement
| that these instructions had been given
to General Obregon, but it can de-
cisively assert that General Obregon
never gave any such notification TO
| General Scott of General Funston, or,
so far as known, to any other Amerl-
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
/ nJ1f made
| fore any such orders had been issued
and not afterwards, as the erroneous
account of the interview given in your
| note would appear to indicate. More
American generals that mo more
| American troops would cross into your
territory
Bandits in Generals Company.
| On the contrary, it was pointed out
to General Obregon and to Mr.. Juan
Arnador, who was present at the con-
ference, and pointed out with empha-
sis that the bandits Della Rosa and
Pedro Vino, who had been instrument
| tai in causing the invasion of Texas
above Brownsville were even then re-
ported to be arranging in the neigh
borhood of Victoria for another raid
across the border and it was made
clear to General Obregon that if the
Mexican government did not take i'm
mediate. steps to prevent another In
/ vasion of the United States by these
| mSrauders, who were frequently seen
in the company of General Nafarrette,
the conStitutionalist commander, Mex
leo would find in Tamaulipas another
punitive expedition similar to that
then in Chihuahua
American troops crossed into Mex
| leo on May 10 upon notification to the
local military authorities under the
repudiated agreement of March 10-1 8,
| or in any event in accordance with
the practice adopted over forty years
ago, when there was no agreement
regarding pursuit of marauders across
the international boundary. These
troops penetrated 16S miles into Mex
| lean territory in pursuit of the Glenn
Springs marauders without encoun-
tering detachment of Mexican
troops or a single Mexican soldier.
Further discussion of this raid, how
ever, is not necessary, because the
American forces sent in pursuit of the
bandits recrossed into Texas on the
morning of May %, the date of your
note, under considerations further
proof of the singleness of the purpose
of this government in endeavoring to
quell disorder and stamp out Iawless-
ness along the border.
Gets Off the Subject.
During the continuance of the Ell
Paso conference, General Scott, YOU
assert, did not take into consideration
the plan proposed by the Mexican gov
eminent for the protection of the
frontier by the reciprocal distribution
OF troops along the boundary This
proposition was made by General
Obregon a number of times. but each
time conditioned upon the Immediate
withdrawal of American troops and
the Mexican conferees were invari-
ably informed that immediate with
draWal could not take place and that
therefore it was impossible to discuss
the project on that basis
l have noted the fart that ,,o,,r ,o,,,
munication is not limited to a disc1s.
sion of the deplorable conditions evist
ing along the border and their impor-
tant bearing upon the peaceful rela
TONS of our governments but that an
effort is made to connect it with othe,
circumstances in order to sl1nnort "A
possible. a mistaken interpretation nj
the attltude or the United States to.
ward Mexico. You state in effect that
the American government has placed
every obstacle in the way of attainine
the pacification of Mexico and thai
this is shown by the volume of diplo-
matte representations in behalf nj
American interests which consta ntlv
impede effort to reorganize the politi-
cal, economical and social conditions
of the country by the decided aid lent
at one time to Villa by American Of
ficers and by the department of state
by the aid extended by the America
Catholic clergy to that of Mexico: hv
the constant activity of the America n
press IN favor of Intervention and the
interests of American business man
by the shelter and supply of rebels and
iconspirators on American territory: bv
the detention of shipments of arms
and munitions purchased by the Mev-
lean government and by the detention
of machinery intended for their man
ufacture-