The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-03-28
";5lNI$TER INFLUENCES"
SEEKING INTERVENTION
Wilson Issues Warning Against Ma
chinatiODS OF Inscriptions
COterie.

Washington, March 25.-President
Wilson tonight issued warning that
sinister and INSCRIPTIONS influences
are spreading alarming reports about
the Mexican situation with the object
OF forcing intervention by the United
States in the interest Of certain
American owners O. MeXican proper
ties
In formal statement the president
told the people to be on their guard
and not to credit such stories. He
called attention again to the govern
ment's announcement that the sole
object of the punitive expedition was
to punish Villa and his followers.
The news services had been asked,
the president said, to assist in keep
ing this view constantly before the
Mexican and American people The
warning was issued after careful con-
sideration Of many official reports
from throughout the United States
and Mexico saying that alarmists'
stories of the intentions of the Wash
ington government were having an
undesirable effect upon the Mexican
people and the American residents in
Mexico.
The possibility that Gen. Carranza's
hand might be weakened to perilous
extent should the Mexican public mis-
understand the American expedition
has been a prevailing actor in the en-
tire operations against Villa.
Drastic steps may be taken if the
warning is not needed
The presidents statement follows:
Only One Purpose.
'iAs has already been announced,
the expedition into Mexico was order
ed under an agreement with the de
facto government of Mexico for the
single purpose of taking the bandit
Villa, whose forces had actually in
vaded the territory of the United
States, and is in no sense intended as
an invasion of that republic or as an
infringement of its sovereignty.
have therefore asked several news
services to be good enough to assist
the administration in keeping this
view of the expedition constantly be
fore both the people of this country
and the distressed and sensitive peo-
pie of Mexico, who are very suscep-
tible indeed to impressions, received
from the American press not only but
also very ready to believe that those
impressions proceed from the views
and objects of our government itself.
Such conclusions, it must be said, are
mot unnatural because the main if not
the only source O. information for the
reorle on both sides of the border is
the public press of the United States.
"In order to avoid the creation of
erroneous and dangerous Impressions
in this way, l have called upon the
several news agencies to use the ut
most care not to give news stories re-
garding this expedition the color of
war, to withhold stories of troop move
ments and military preparations which
might be given that Interpretation, and
to refrain from publishing unverified
rumors Of unrest in Mexico
Should Show Clean Hands.
81 feel that it is most desirable to
! impress upon both our own people and
the people of Mexico the tact that the
expedition is simply necessary puni-
tive measure. aimed solely at the eli
mination of the marauders who raid
ed Columbus and who infest an unpro
tected district near the border which
| they Sc as base in making at
tacks upon the lives and property Of
our citizens within our own territory.
1t is the purpose Of our commanders
to cooperate in every possible way
with the forces of Gen. Carranza in
removing this cause OF irritation to
both governments and to retire from
Mexican territory as soon as that OBJ
; ject is accomplished
1T is my duty to warn the people
of the United States that there are
persons all along the border who al
actively engaged in originating and
giving as wide currency as they can
to rumors of the most Sensational and
disturbing sort which are wholly n
justified by facts. The object Of this
traffic in falsehood is obvious. 1t is to
create intolerable fraction between