The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-05
GIVES HIS SIDE
CarranZa Says He Has Been
Misunderstood in q. s.
He Asserts His Government
Does Not Want War.

New York, July 5.-The New York
Times prints the following dispatch
under Mexico City date line today:
In an exclusive interview today at
the national palace, General Carranza
stated to the New York Times CORE
spondent that Mexico had been mis-
understood by the people of the
United States and that he wished,
through the Times, to state the actual
position of the Mexican republic.
81 have been greatly surprised that
the press of the United States and a
large part of the thinking people of
that country suppose that the Next
can government is procuring and
wishes war with the United States
the first chief said. 81 wish to de-
clare that all the acts which have been
executed recently with respect to the
international difficulties have had no
tional honor and to preserve by all
honorable means possible peace and
good relations with the United States.
Territory Invaded.
ct wish that the American people
could see with all clearness the Mexi-
can point of view, SO that my acts
would be interpreted as they should
be. In effect, Mexico has seen her
territory invaded by American troops
which, although declaring that they
came to cooperate with the Mexican
government in the prosecution of ban
dts, in reality entered without the
knowledge or permission of the Mex
lean government and have continued
to move freely without comforting with
the Mexican military authorities.
Mexico saw afterward that it was
threatened with a series of expeditions
of the same nature
Later, restrictions were placed
upon her commerce. Free passage of
merchandise was forbidden across the
border. military supplies destined for
the Mexican government were en-
bargoed, the militia of the United
States was ordered to the border, the
state department ordered all Ameri-
cans residing in the republic to leave
Mexican territory, and, lastly, mobil-
lied the navy. The warships stationed
in front of our ports have commenced
a true blockade of our coasts in re-
spect not only to our foreign trade,
but our domestic as well.
Thinks We Want War.
In view of thesefacts. the Mexican
governmenthas been obliged to think
that the United States wished war.
The acts of rudimentary prudence
that the Mexican government has had
to execute in view of the attitude as
sumed by the United States, and the
note sent by Mexico asking the United
interpreted as hostile acts of the Next
can government against the United
States and could have no interest in
wishing a war which could not bring
anything else but ruin.
What would be the attitude of the
American people if they should find
themselves in the same situation as
the Mexican people are now? What
would the United States have done if
during the Civil war and under the
abnormality of the existing conditions
that England had sent an expedition
of $4,000 or 10000 men to Montana
or Idaho with the pretending of freely
operating in American territory and
with the threat of sending as many
expeditions as she thought necessary
to protect the English subjects? Or
if Canada had ordered the mobiliza-
| ton of Der militia on the American
border and if she had ordered the sus-
pension of shipments, passage of mer-
chandise from Canada to the United
States? Or if Canada had ordered an
embargo on ammunition and arms
destined for use against the confed-
crates?
Says He Is President.
What would they have thought if
England had ordered all the English
and Canadian subjects with business
interests in the United States to leave
American territory. And, lastly, if
England had modified her fleet, sta
tioning cruisers in front of each prin-
cipal port to search and interfere with
the commerce of the United States
not only foreign commerce, but also
the shipping between the northern
and southern ports of the American
coasts?
THE Americans should place them
selves in the position of the Mexican
people and consider that in reality
there has been a great deal of pru-
dence displayed by the Mexican gov
eminent when there is taken into con-
sideration the acts executed by the
| United States with the apparent pro-
position of preparing against Mexico. -