Arizona republican., 1916-03-26
President Issues Warning That Alarmist Reports Are Being Spread in h. terest of Certain American Owners of Properties SAYS NOT TO
 CREDIT STORIES
Calls Attention Again to the Governments Announce ment Sole Object of Puni- tive Expedition is to Pun iSh Villa and Followers
Republican A. p. Leased Wire]

IRepuohCan "A. P. Leased WtreI
 WASHINGTON, March 25.-Presi- dent Wilson issued warning tonight that sinister and interruptions influ- ences" were spreading alarmist re- ports about the Mexican situation with the object of forcing intervention by the United States" in the interest of cer- tain American owners of Mexican prop erties."
 In formal statement, the president told the people of the United States to be on their guard and not to credit such stories. He urged those who dis seminate news to test the source and authenticity of every report from the border, and called attention again to the governments announcement that the sole object of the punitive expedi- tion now in Mexico was to punish Villa and his followers.
 The news services supplying news papers had been asked, the president said, to assist in keeping this view constantly before the Mexican and the American people, to the end that the expedition should not be given the color of war.
 i The purpose of the American con- | manders was described as embracing cooperation ''in every possible way" with the forces of General CarranZa, and withdrawal from Mexican territory as soon as the object of the expedition has been accomplished.
 | The president solemnly warned the people that there are persons all along l the border who are actively engaged in originating and giving as wide l currency as they can to rumOrs of the most sensational and disturbing sort l which are wholly unjustified by the facts"
 The presidents statement follows:
 AS has already been announced, the expedition into Mexico was ordered un- der an agreement with the de facto government of Mexico for the single purpose of taking the bandit Villa. whose forces had actually invaded the territory of the United States; and is in no sense intended as an invasion of that republic or as an infringement of it's sovereignty. 1 have therefore ask l. ed the several news services to be good enough to assist the administration in keeping this view of the expedition constantly before both the people of this country and the distressed and sen- sitive people of Mexico, who are very susceptible indeed to impressions re-
 ceived from the American press, not only likely but also very ready, to be
 lieve that these impressions proceed
 from the views and objects of our gov
 ernment itself. Such conclusions, ii
 must be said, are not unnatural because
 the main, if not the only source of in-
 formation for the people on both sides fof the border is the public press of the
 United States.
 Tn order to avoid the creation oi erroneous and dangerous impressions ir
 this way, I have called upon the sev-
 eraI news agencies to use the utmost care not to give news stories regarding this expedition the color of war, tt withhold stories of troop movements and military preparations which nigh , be given that interpretation, and to re- frain from publishing unverified rumor'
 of unrest in Mexico.
 |, q feel that it is most desirable t, impress upon both our own people ant the people of Mexico the, fact that tn :, expedition is simply a necessary puni tive measure, aimed solely at the elirn ! ination of the marauders who raide,
 Columbus and who infest an unprotect f ed district near the border which the
 use as a base in making attacks upo
 (Continued on Page Threel