The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-01

Mexican government has done all in 1t. power to protect foreign subjects The fault lies with foreigners, especially Americans. who insisted on remaining ir disturbed districts despite the repeated As our own conditions have suffered se verely on account of the condition ot affairs, it is hardly just that foreigners should expect to be immune"
 The note cites the case of Charles Wat son, one of the victims of the Santa Ysa- bel massacre, who, it states, insisted on X making the fataI journey despite warn ing from General Trevino. the military governor of Chihuahua.
 Tt is fact the note states, which the American military authorities cannot deny, that on March 1e General Trevinc advised the latter that he had trustworthy intelligence that Villa and his bandits were on the way to the frontier. He also warned them that Villa was going by way of Las Palomas. thus giving the American authorities ample time in which to prepare to meet the danger.
 BANDITS WERE DISPERSED
 ''The constitutionalist government also on receipt of the news of the movements of Villa and right after the attack on Columbus. sent 150O men under General Guitterez as rapidly as possible to the northern part of the state of Chihuahua with orders to pursue the bandits relent- lessly. It Is well known that the pursuit began immediately and that the bandits were dispersed
 The imputations of the American gov ernment that the constitutionalist. gov ernment had no desire to put an end to these attacks is untrue. It is well known that the affair at Parral resulted from the imprudence of the commander of the American troops, who entered the town we'll knowing that the Mexican comman- der had not given his consent.
 Tt is absolutely untrue that Mexican troops have been guilty of disloyalty as imputed in the note of the department of state. The Mexican government could do no less than consider improper the presence of American troops on Mexican soil since the original orders given to them were, according to the American press. to undertake immediate pursuit of the Villa bandits and return to theil encampments
 Ut is also true that the constitutionalist government protected American troops against the just indignation of the pop ulace of Parral. who were aroused by their presence.
 sThe note of the Secretary of State described as convention what was sim ply a proposition which the Mexican gov ernment made conditionally to the govern ment of the United States in the note of March 10 to establish reciprocity in the passage of troops in pursuit of bandits. If, on any other part of the frontier. there should occur acts such as those at Columbus. This provisional proposi- ton cannot be called a convention and. consequently. 1t is untrue that the con- st1tutionalist government has repudiated any convention. What the constitutions alist government desired was to define the terms of the agreement and the con ditions SO as to obviate any misunder- standings which might arise between tho two countries and also in any event. tc satisfy the Mexican people in regard to the cause of the presence of American troops in Mexican territory.
 "The United States has undertaken tc abuse the terms of the agreement. aa als it's acts show evidently that 1t sdid not wish to confine itself to the pur. suit of the bandits.''