Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-28
BAKER DOES NOT
REVEAL SOURCES
OF INFORMATION
Nothing New in Reported
Plot to Attack American
Troops on Border.
SUSPICION AROUSED I
SEVERAL DAYS AGO
Agents of Department of Justice
and Treasury Inquire Into
Alleged Conspiracy.
WITHOUT POLITICAL PURPOSE
No Intention to Reflect on American
WITHOUT POLITICAL PURPOSE
no Intention to Reflect on American
Political Opponents of Adj
ministration.
rpy Associated press I

tary Baker left for Wilmington. Ohio
Tonight to continue his campaign
speaking, without revealing either the
sources or the exact nature OF the
tnformation which impclled the War
Department yesterday TO issue n state
nent saying 1t had knowledge that an
attack on the border or the American
troops In Mexico was being planned by
enemies OF the administration's policy
toward Mexico.
1t was learned. however, that the
suspicion was aroused here some days
ago, and that reports OF an alleged raid
conspiracy appearing In certain Ameri-
can newspapers were transmitted to
the border for investigation. Agents
or the Department of Justice and
the Treasury rnTe supposed to have
made the inquiry. Reports reaching
Washington yesterday. less than an
hour before Mr.. Baker left for West
Virginia to deliver Il campaign ad-
dress led the War Secretary TO confer
with Secretary Lansing Mt the State
Department aud issued the statement
Suggestions that the statement was
so wordcd as to virtually charge
American political opponents OF the
administration of conspiring with the
bandits. caused both Secretary Baker
and Secretary Lansing to-day to re-
itcratc the latier's statement of last
night that th"re WAS intention to
do such Il thing. Both said II was i'm
possible to conceive that any Ameri-
can could he involved in such an enter
prise. ard THAI MeNicans now in the
United States were responsible for tho
plot.
sTATEMENT WITHOUT
POLITICAL PURPOSE
''rhc obviously appropriate comment
on the Secretary of State" Secretary
Baker said. referring to the rxpiana-
tion by Secretary Lansing last night
that no American was implicated. and
that a desire L. prevent the carrying
out OF the plans had prompted Secre-
tary Bakers statement, "prccludes the
possibility that any such construction
or understanding could be put upon my
statement The statement was with
out political purpose. and ought to be
without political effect. 1t will have
served it's entire purpose II il serves
notice upon the lawless' people I'm
Mexico that we have been warned and
are prepared"
Secretary Baker declared II was
absurd" to suppose that his statement
had been intended to imply that any
political interest in the United States
desired anything other than peace on
the border.
such thing could not be true" he
said.
Asked what interests he charged
We're behind the movement. Secretary
Baker dictated this statement:
The MeNicans who oppose the de
facto government in Mexico would. of
course. he glad to complicate relations
between the United States and Mexico
and our information is that they think
this an appropriate time TO do so. The
statement made last night by the de-
partmcnt ought To discourage any ad-
venture on their part in that direction.
Everybody knows that many McSi-
cans in this country are constantly
agitating against the dc facto govern
ment. Any sympathy there may be on
the American side of the border with
the movement is wholly from this
source
THE only possible suggestion of
political purpose lin the War Depart
ment's statemenD is to prevent people
in Mexico from creating n disturbance
of political character in furtherance
OF their own design"
LANSING ADVISES NO DELAY
IN MAKING MATTER PUBLIC
Part of the information which led
to his statement, the secretary said,
reached him yesterday afternoon. Mr.
Baker. 1t was learned. took his ad-
vices up with Secretary Lansing, and
the latter is said to have advised that
there be no delay in making public
Tho substance of inflammation
Secretary Lansing views the in
formation, although somewhat in
definite as to individuals. IS showing
dangerous situation along the border.
Publication Of the fact that the gov
ernment has taken steps to chcckmatc
such movement, he believes. goes far
toward preventing an attack either
upon a border town or upon General
Pershing's forces.
Secretary Baker indicated that no
immediate movement of General Perish l
ng's columns were contemplated. lie
refused to say, however. whether or
1ers had been given to meet an attack
lie gave the impression that Generals
Funston and Pcrshing might have been
directed to take certain steps Of n
retaliatory nature, should an attack be
made upon their forces, or that the
department had such orders under con-
sidcratlon.
81 have nothing to say on that sub
ect," was his only response to every
question in regard to orders sent to
he border.
Later Mr.. Lansing authorized tho
following statement:
"I was quite correctly reported last
night in the statement that Secretary
-~