The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-01
Report of American Repre- sentatives Sent to State Department - Scott and Funston Await Advices
GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CHANGED PLANS FOR
 U. s. TROOPS IN MEXICO
Obregon Has Served No Notice on American Rep
 resentatives that Could Be Construed as Utlimatum

Fl Paso, Tex, April 3o--Mexican and American conferences over the disposi- ton of the American forces in Mexico marked time today while Generals Scott and Funston awaited word from Wash ington as to the next step to be taken in the negotiations with General Obre- gon.
 The report of the American representa- lives on the first conference went for. ward by wire early this morning. On the answer of the President and Secre- taries Lansing and Baker to it's recom- lhendations depends the future status of the conference.
 In the meantime the following devel- oped:
 That to date the apparent intention of the Washington government to keep General Pershings columns in Mexico has not been changed. That General Obregon in yesterdays conference served no sort of notice on Generals Scott and Funston that could be construed as an ultimatum demanding immediate with
 lrawal
 That the desire of the de facto gov
 ernment for withdrawal was again stated. but that the only discussion along this line was regarding the advisability of an American retirement.
 That there was considerable discussion of the possibility of erfecting Mexicsl and American cooperation in The erad- ication of scattered Villa bandit groups.
 That there is strong possibility that there will be only one more conference held, that depending on the wishes of the Washington. government. Ihaf while the present rcgotiasso'is ~fo proceeding, shipments of supplies to the American expedition front are going for ward uninterruptedly. WITHDRAWAL UPPERMOST
 From stray bits of information, it
 today appears that yesterdays con-
 ference ended with the question ofA
 withdrawal of the United States
 troops still uppermost in the mindsN of the Mexican conferees. They are
 understood to have tried to impress
 on the American representatives their claim that political conditions in Mex-s ico are such that they cannot be re- sponsible for any eventualities that may result from continued occupation
 of Mexican soil by American columns.
 They are said also to have laid stresY
 or the fact that the position of tho
 Carranza government would be ex- tremely delicate of the expeditionary movement were not ended. In view of the already expressed attitude of the Americans that they were unable to discuss any other Ques- ton than cooperation Cf the two armies in dispersing the various bandit organizations. the next step was to at- tempt to reach a basis on which both sides might meet.
 Washngton's answer to the tDlegram dispatched by Generals Scott and F'uns- ton today is expected to divulge whether such basis can be estab- lished.
 Tn some quarters tonight there was disposition to believe that the next conference would deal with the ques- tion of withdrawal but so far as tho American conferees are concerned, the subject will be approached with re- serve.
 PRINCIPALS OPTIMISTIC In these circles it is argued that the United States might consent to relin quish the problem of Villa bandits to the forces of the de facto government but that pending successful comple- tion of this task by the Carranxa forces it would insist on q part occu- patton of the state of Chihuahua whera tCentinued on Page Two>