Middletown transcript., 1916-06-24
j. S. REFUSES
TO RECALL TROOPS
United States Reply to Carranza
Demands.
NOTE STERN AND EMPHATIC
Issue Now Made Up, the Lines
Drawn and HostiIites Appear
To Be Inevitable In
Mexico.

Washington.-Squarely placing re-
sponsibility for continuation of the
American troops in Mexico on the
shoulders of the Carranza government
and accepting the threat that if they
are not withdrawn the Mexican Gov
ernment will defend its territory by an
appeal to arms" the United States
fatty refused to withdraw its troops
from Mexican territory.
In lengthy reply to the Carranza
note of May %, the United States,
through Secretary Lansing, warns tho
de facto Government that it has adopt
ed a policy that will not be changed
under any circumstances. 1t reoukes
the insinuation that there is any desire
of territorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT behind
the present Mexican policy, and in con-
clusion declares:
THE United States has not sought
the duty which has been forced upon
it of pursuing bandits who, under
fundamental principles of municipal
and International law, ought to be pur-
sued and arrested and punished by
Mexican authorities. Whenever Mex
leo will assume and effectively exercise
that responsibility the United States,
as it has many times before publicly
declared, will be glad to have this obli-
cation fulfilled by the de facto Govern
ment of Mexico. If on the con-
trary the de facto government
is pleased to ignore this Obliga-
tion and to believe that in case Of
refusal to retire these troops there IS
no further recourse than to defend its
territory by an appeal to arms the
Government of the United States
would surely be lacking in sincerity
and friendship if it did not frankly I'm
press upon the de facto Government
that the execution of this threat will
lead to the grayest consequences.
While this Government would deeply
regret such a result it cannot recede
from its settled determination to main
tain its national rights and TO perform
It's full duty in preventing further in
vasions of the territory of the United
States and in removing the peril which
Americans along the International
wit
patience and forebearance"
The American note to Carranza
rivals Carranza's note to this govern
ment both in sharpness of tone and in
undue length. Carranza's note vas
over 5000 words long, and the Amert-
can note fills over FIVE columns The
Carranza note was insolent, so insOlute
indeed, that Secretary Lansing. in his
opening paragraph, rebukes Secretary
of State Aguilar for the 'discOurteous
tone and temper of his communica-
ton"
Summing it all up, Senor Aguilar
charged the American government
with bad faith and orders the Amerl-
can troops to withdraw; Mr. Lansing
replies by charging Mr.. Aguilar with
untruthfulness and assuring him the
American troops will not be with
drawn. This joins the issue. There
Is no room for compromise between
the two governments. 1t was learned
at the State Department that at this
moment Gen. Carranza is in no mood
for compromise, for he is quoted as
having stated in Mexico City this after |
noon that any movement Of the |
United States troops in Mexico except |
to the northWard will be considered |
hostile and that his commanders have |
been ordered to repel any movement |
by the United States troops except |
backward to the United States. SenOr |
Aguilar is quoted as saying that ''seri-
GUS complications" can be avoided only |
by the prompt withdrawal Of United |
States troops. So the Mexican posi- |
zion, as defined by its Secretary of
State, is that unless the American
troops are Withdrawn serious cOmpli
cations" cannot be avoided, and the
American reply is that if any effort is
made to compel the American troops
to withdraw ''the gravest consequences
will follow"