Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-16
BELOW
BORDER THE SAME,
SAYS WAR CHIEF
Baker Asserts Cooperation with
c. "a Forces and Expedition
sos st Villa is Still
g Continuing.
CHANGE IS CONTEMPLATED
State Department Inclined to Think
Clash at Parral 0verstatcd
by Mexicans.
AWAITS WORD FROM PERsHINo

WASHINGTON, April To- secre-
tary Lansing pronounced tho Mexican
situation unchanged today In any as
peet.
Unless official reports 10 General
Funston disclose a more grave situa-
tion at Parral, where American
troops were fired upon, than is now
believed to exist there was nothing
10 indicate that change might be
expected In the near future.
Secretary Baker said General
Funston had not heard from General
Pershing directly for three days.
That caused no uneaslness at the
War department, however. as Gen.
eral pershing has reported only when
he had definite and important infor-
nation TO communicate.
Clash Not serious.
AZ ame passes without official lnfor-
nation Of tho Parral fighting from Aineri.
Gun sources, officials are inclined 10 doubt
that the clash wan as serious as was In
dicated IN early Mexican dispatches.
Publication IN Mexico city OF the terms
the carranza government seeks to Inn
pose, limiting any reciprocal troops move
ments across Tho international boundary,
shed much light on tho diplomatic tan
gle which preceded General carranza's
suggestion that the American troops bo
recalled from Mexico.
Secretary Lansing declined TO discuas
the matter. AZ the time the do facto
government suggested that no oxpedi-
tionary force should exceed 1000 cavalry
mon and not cross dcadline, there wera
several thousand American troops Of all
arms In Mexico and they were 100 miles
or more south OF the border.
Secretary Baker said he still wes walt
ing for q report on the conferences be-
tween General Pershlng and Generals
Herrera and Gutierrez.
Elisco Arrendondo, General carranza's
anbassador here. said today he had no
further information OF tho fighting ct
Parral nor Of reports OF a later clash.
a battle at cuernavaca. the zapata
stronghold was reported imminent. The
advance guard Of the Carranza forces was
said to be IN sight Of tbs fortress,
Bakers Statement.
Secretary Baker OF the War department
this afternoon gave out the following
statement:
The status Of tho expedition is as II
was at the beginning IN cordial co-opera-
tlon with the de facto government Of
Mexico. That cooperation continues ana
the expedition continues. There has been
no change either In purpose or in the
orders. No change has been made and
none is In contemplation"
Reassuring adyIces from American con-
suls In touch with interior Mexican
points led officials to hope that there Is
now little danger that news Of the re-
cent fight at Parral would arouse resent
ment among the Mexican people which
might lead TO further complications.
General Funston Uneasy.
SAN ANTONIO Tex. April 15-Un-
easiness was manifest at General Fun
ston's headquarters today over General
Perahing's unbroken silence concerning
the fight at Parral II became known
today that General Funston directed to
General Pershing last night communl-
cation sharply urging him TO expedite
report.
General Funston received from the War
department n rather long communication,
but he refused TO discuss It's character.
There was reason TO deleve the sub
stance Of hIa late reports TO Washington
dealt largely with tho positions and ne-
tlyities Of Carransa troops In northern
Mexico and the failure of them and
other carranza authorities to cooperate
more effectually with the Americans.
Army officers hero and IA Mexico have
resented the repeated statements that CO.
operation was being given when. aH they
Indignantly assert, continued refusal 10
use tho railroads and 10 permit the
transmission of code messages over land
wires has been made. The number II
eafransa troops In northern and central
MeNien "a greater than that of the United
states force IN Mexico. but army oft
GERS here pointed out villa has no aps
parent difficulty In passing through their
lines when pressed forward BY the Amer.
leans.