The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-20
REFUSAL TO
WITHDRAW TROOPS
(Continued from page l.

Ss.pDA1r0R 4
WITHDRAW TROOP
(Continued from page ~
American officers, have been enioyin
with impunity the liberty Of the town
of Northern Mexico.
$50 far has the indifference of tn
defacto government to these atroc
ties gone, that some of these leader
as I have been advised have receive
not only protection of that govern
ment. but encouragement and aid a
well"
Secretary Lansing then takes up. i,
considerable detail the more notori
Gus "depredations" against American
in Mexico and on American borde
towns. Among these instances all o
which HERETOFORE have been .old
detail in press accounts, being largel,
verified, are the Santa ISABEL unassa
ere of eighteen Americans and ths
Columbus, n. NJ, raid which the nols
declares were carried out by Villa.
Following the Cusi mining property
raid in January, the note states, Car
rama authorities were appealed to fol-
protection which was not given.
Lansing emphasizes the point that
Ambassador Arredondo repeatedly
gave assurances" that American lives
would be protected, but. it is said, no
move was made that appeared to be
following out these assurances. It Is
pointed out that $50 far as is known
only a single man personally con,
nscted with this (the Santa YsabeD
massacre has been brought to Justice
by Mexican authorities"
within a month after this barbar-
GUS slaughter Of inofensive Aneri-
cans it was notorious that Villa was
operating within twenty miles OF Gust
huirachic, and publicly stated that his
purpose was to destroy American
lives and property. Despite repeated
and insistent demands that military
protection should be furnished to
Americans, Villa openly carried on
his operations. constantly appearing
closer and closer to the border His
movements were not impeded by
troops of the defacto government and
no effectual attempt was made to
Illustrate his hostile designs against
Americans.
Villa Un1indered.
-Yet the Mexican authorities were
fully cognizant of his movement
Villas unhmdered activities culmfn-
ated in the unprovoked and bold at
tack upon American soldiers and cdtd-
,zens in the town of Columbus on the
might of March 20. the details Of
which do not need repetition here in
order to refresh your memory with
the Nervousness of the crime. After
numbering, burning, and plundering,
Villa and his bandits fleeing south
passed within sight of the CaFransa
80 H. S>r
effort was made to stop him by the
officers and garrison of the defacto
government stationed there.
'.In the face Of these depredatfons
the perpetrators of which General
Carranza was unable or possibly con-
sidered it inadvfsable to apprehend
and punish, the United States had no
recourse other than to employ force
to dispense the bands of Mexican out
laws. The marauders engaged in the
attack ON Columbus were driven back
across the border by American cav
airy and subsequently, were pursued
into Mexico in an effort to capture
or destroy them. Without co-opera-
ton or assistance. despite repeated
requests by the United States and
without apparent recognition on the
part Of desirabi1ity Of putting an end
to these systematic raids, American
forces pursued the lawless bands as
far as Parral, where the pursuit was
halted by the hostility of Mexicans.
presumed to be loyal to the defacto
who arrayed themselves
on the side Of out1awry and became in
effect the protectors of Villa and his
band
In this manner, and for these
reasons. have the American forces en-
tered Mexican territory. Knowing
fulty the circumstances set forth, the
defacto government cannot be blind
to the necessity which compelled this
to act and yet it has seen.
fit to recfte groundless sentiments Of
hostility toward the expedition and
1mpute this governments Interior mo-
tfves for the continued presence Of
American troops on Mexican soil. It
is charged that these troops crossed
the frontier without first obtaining
the consent or permission of the de.
facto government. Obviously, as i'm
mediate action alone could avail, there
was no opportunity to reach an agree
ment, If the expedition was to be ct.
fective. Subsequent events and cor
have resulted in salts
faction to this government that Car
rama would not have entered into
any agreement providing for an ef-
Ifectfve plan for the capture and de-
struction of VILLAS band"
Tho Last Demands.
Secretary Lansing next takes. up In
detail Carranza's last demands.
Charges that this government has not
F1111 q
cation, are fatty denied. Several
misstatements, notfceabty a quota
ton carried In the Carranza C ommuni-
cation and purporting to show this
government had formally admitted
the dispersion OF the Villa band had
been accomplished. are cited.
Mention is made of the Mexican
governm ent's suggestion that Aneri-
can troops be withdrawn on the
ground that Carranza forces are now
So dispOSed as to prevent Outlawry