Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-13

the medium of our confidential agent, COM
municated that In principle IL accepted
the agreement and was only studying
the points in detail In order to finish It.
so things went on until the 10th of
March, when the honorable James Linn
Rodgers presented a note to our secre-
tary begging that the corresponding au-
thorties in Chihuahua should give the
necessary instructions to permit that some
provisions be transported by the North
western Railroad for the American troops
pursuing villa and his party
SURPRISED At INVASION.
"on the same date the Mexican Cow
crnment answered the note, manifesting
surprise that without any official advices
whatever on the part of the United states
Government. American troops had crossed
over into Mexican territory, and were al
ready In Casas Grandes or Its surround
iDFs.
"on the 18th Of March, our confidential
agent IN Washington had an interview
with one Frank Polk the secretary to
the state Department and he expressed
TO our confidential agent that he de-
plored not having received the obserNa.
tions Of the Mexican Government before
the passage OF the American forces over
the border and assured our agent that
the passage of these troops took place in
the best Of faith and in the belief that It
would not be necessary to enter into more
particulars and details of any agreement
which was considered definite and ended
L. S. EXPRESSED REGRET
These declarations. made by the Hon
Mr.. Polk were confirmed I'm all their parts
at conference, on March %, between our
confidential agent and your eXCelcncy
who stated also that he was sorry at hav.
ing interpreted wrongly the contents of
the said note in respect to the passage OF
the troops and that they would not ad-
vance more to the south of the place
where they then were.
"On the 10Th of March the Honorable
Mr.. Folk addressed a letter to our conf
dental agent in Washington. ratifylng in
writing the conference held on the pre-
vious day and expressing. in clear and
conclusive manner, that IL was a motive
for sincere lamentaton that there had
been msnterpretation as to the atti-
tude of the First Chief relating to the
passage Of United States troops over the
frontier In the pursuit of Villa. and de-
claring that the state Department Of the
United States believed that our Govern
ment had consented plainly to the ar
ranEement proposed i'm its communication
of March 10 from the then Secretary of
Foreign Affairs. Licenciado Jesus ACuna
which arrangement was accepted by the
United States Government in it's note of
March 10.
PRESIDENTS PROMISE
"ln declarations, which his Exccllcncy.
the Honorable President Wilson. made
public on March 26 he expressed himself
in the following manner:
LAS we have already announced, the
expedition was ordered under an ngree-
mcnt with the de facto government of
Mexico for the purpose only of capturing
the bandit villa, whose forces have in
vnded the territory of the United States,
and on no preteXt whatever would we
order an invasion of that republic or IA
violation of its Sovereignty
That idea published by His Exccllency
President Wilson, was reCtfcd on March
81 by message sent to our confidential
agent in Washington, in which he was
instructed to call your attention to the
idea indicated, since the note of March
10 referred to the reciprocal passage of
troops only in case that incidents like
those which occurred at Columbus should
be repeated.
PLEDGE TO RETIRE.
Lastly. on the 5th of the present
month, your EXcellcncy, in delivering to
our confidential agent a counter-prOiect
of an agreement on the reciprocal passage
of troops to be presented for the con-
sderation of the Mexican Government
accompanied it with note declaring that
the American Government trusted that
the conditions contained in the same agree
which actually found themselves within
Mexican territory at that time in the
pursuit of Villa.
"YOur ExceIlency further assured us
that In exercising that privilege of enter
ing our territory, those forces would CON-
fine their military operations only to the
object of the expedition, and that they
would retire Immediately afterward TO
their own country.
Your ENcellenCy also expressed your
gratefulness to the Mexican Government
for having, as you stated, reached COM
pact by means of which the United States
forces had permission to pursue Villa and
his party In Mexican territory, and stated
that the American Government found itself
disposed to respect the confidence shown it,
and that 1t would by no means violate
MeXiGo's sovereignty or abuse the privi-
lege so generously and freely granted it.
LACKED DEFINITE TERMS.
Furthermore, the honorable Secretary
Of the State Department, Mr.. Polk in
conference with our confidential ageat in
Washington. declared that the United
States Government had acted in all good
faith in sending its expedition into Mexico
In pursuit of villa on the supposition that
the note of March 10 contained a definite
agreement, but that the Mexican Govern
ment consented to let the expedition re-
main in Mexican territory only until de-
I'm consequence of the facts previously
expressed, as no final agreement has been
reached as TO the terms of a treaty to
regulate in general the reciprocal passage
of troops over the dividing line for the
purpose of pursuing outlaws who may
hencetorth commit depredations in one or
the other country, the Mexican Govern
ment Judges II convenient to suspend for
the present all discussion or negotiations
in this particular, or founded on the cir
oumstHnce that the expedition sent by the
United states Government to pursue Villa
is without foundation in virtue of the
nonexistence of previous agreement,
formal and definite.
WITHDRAWAL REQUESTED.
And as that expedition has fulfilled
its object so far as 1t viii be able TO do
so, as the party headed by Villa has al
ready been dispersed and, finally because
there are Mexican troops in sufficient num-
bers pursuing them, and more forces are
being sent to eXteTminate the rest of the
beaten party, the First Chief, of the Con-
stitutlOnalist army, charged with the exc
cutive power of the nation, considers that
it is already time to treat with the
United States Government for the with
dTawaI of its forces from our territory
Il take this opportunity TO reiterate
TO your ENcellency my very distinguished
estimation and consideration.
c.. NHaaaa FF.u4 RH.E.