Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-01

I moment it heard of the Villa move
ment and right after the attack of
these bandits on Columbus, ordered
/ that / 500 men under the command of
General Luis Gutierrez, should march
at full speed TO the northern region Of
the state of Chihuahua TO pursue the
| bandits who, after having committed
outlaw acts in a foreign territory,
were returning TO their own country.
1T is of public domain that persecu-
ton of Villa was Immediately started,
and that the marauder bands were
soon scattered.
1T is a gratuitOus imputatiOn of the
American government that the conStf-
tutionalist government was not anxi-
Gus to end these incursiOns or to pun
ish the guilty for the crimes commit
ted.
L. :. Soldiers Held to Blame at Parral.
at is an established fact that the
| incident at Parral was precipitated by
the imprudent act of the American
commander, who entered the town
when he was well aware that the Con-
stitutiOnalist' government never gave
him permission to enter, or for the
presence of the American troops in our
territory, and much less take posses
sion of towns. 1t is also true that the
troops of the cOnstitutiOnalist govern
ment protected the American troops
against the very just Indignation of
the people of Parral for their presence
II said town.
1T is inexact, in every manner of
| form, the imputatiOn of lack of 10y
atty on the part of the constitutional
ist troops which is referred to in the
note.
The cOnstitutiOnalist government
could not help but consider unlawful
the presence of the American troops
in Mexican territory, because the or
ders which this army had from its own
government, and as published by the
American press, were to commence the
/ pursuit of Villa and his bandits, re-
turning 10 their own country once
these bands were dispersed, or that
! the constitutionalist troops should
I. take up the pursuit.
The note calls attention to whit
really was no more than q simple
proposition that the Mexican govern
! nent made conditionally 10 the gov
/ eminent of the United States, in a note
dated the 10th of March, for the reci-
/ procity for the passage Of troops in
/ pursuit of the bandits in case that in
any other region of the frontier the
| Columbus incident should be repeated
in the future.
This provisional proposition could
never be called an agreement, and
therefore it is not true that the con-
stitutionalist government has repud-
lated any agreement.
ut is absolutely untrue that the con-
stitutionaIist government should have
considered the form and nature of an
agreement for the mutual trespass Of
troops for the prosecution of bandits.
What really the constitutionaIist gov
eminent wanted was TO fix terms ana
conditions for future difficulties that
might arise between one and the other
country, and to satisfy the Mexican
people as TO the reason of the presence
of American soldiers in our own terri
tory.
The United States really has tried
to abuse and not to excuse funda-
mental and defined agreement, beca' Sc
in all its acts it could be easily seen
that they have not wanted TO limit
thmselves TO the persecution Of ban
dts, but to enlarge their radius OF
action.
Never Agreed to "Invasion" By
Pershing.
/ at is true that the cOnstitutionalis'
government suspended the discussion
/ of the agreement on the reciprocity OF
trespassing troops. but it had very
/ serious reasons for so deciding. be
cause the government of the United
/ States did not want 10 include the Col
umbus incident in this agreement. and
+ this naturally could not be accepted
[ by the constitutionalist government,
/ inasmuch as il would have been equal
+ 10 consent to the invasion OF Mexican
/ territory.
/ lit Is not true that the government
.<f the limited Stages did answer In due