The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-06
Agreement Said to Have Been
Reached Several Days Ago.
WASHINGTON BACKED DOWN?
Brokerage Agent Says Tha
Changed Carranza's Attitude.
Army Men Believe Situation L
Practically Unchanged.
BY HI. I'll. sTANsBURY.

Ell Paso, July 6.-A secret Under
standing, of which the public had no
knowledge, was made between the
White House and First Chief Carranza
several days ago, according to a tele-
gram which has been forwarded to a
powerful brokerage concern in New
York by its special agent here. -..-r
The information, if accurate, af--
fords. the first explanation of Car
ranza's order releasing Internationally
the American prisoners captured at
Carrizal. 1t also explains the rapid
withdrawal of the Pershing expedition
in the direction of the border ."oh
Carrarza, it is claimed, was given to-,
understand that the releases@iof thel
prisoners would be accepted by the adj
ministration as an act of friendliness
that would" make peace negotiations
possible.
The brokerage concern to which the
Information was sent has connections
in almost every large city in the
United States and Latin-America. The
administration here is in constant con-
nection with we'll informed Mexican
circles.
Disregard Treachery.
| Responsibility for the treacherous
manner in which the Tenth cavalry
|
Felix Gomez is not believed to have
been taken into account in the secret
preliminary exchange of communica-
| tons.
Carranza'ss understanding of the
| situation lis said to be that he will not
be held responsible for the long list of
atrocities which accumulated during
the revolution. This includes the
! santa isabel massacre, the Columbus
Glen Springs and Brownsville raids.
Definite information as to how the
secret peace oYertureS were conveyed
10 the first chief are lacking here. 1t
is believed, however, the willingness
OF the administration to back down
completely rather than face war was
made known to Mexican Ambassador
Arredondo as soon as Washington
learned the Carranza cabinet had de-
c1ded to defy the last 'ultimatum from
the state department.
In partial standardization it is said.
Mr.. Arredondo had announced his
plan to leave Washington and follow
his family to Canada Immediately fol-
lowing the ultimatum from the United
states, when, without explanation, his
departure was postponed indefinitely.
The Considerations.
The brokers agents here refused to
state on what authority they. based
| the information sent to New York,
but the following developments of the
last week supply significant corrob-
Grafton:
| Ffrst-Secretary Lansing sent an
ultimatum which charged First Chief
| Carranza with full responsibility for
| failure to preserve order and protect
the lives and property of Americans
in Mexico. His answers to the de-
mands of the United States were char
acterized as insolent and insulting.
| Second-This note was backed by a
call for the militia of the United
States which was coupled with an an
nouncement that the punitive expedi-
ton would remain in the positions
then occupied south of the border in
definitely.
Third-Carranza and the de facto
government officials issued a procla-
nation inviting all revolutionary fac
tons to join in driving the American
army from Mexican soil. Warlike
statements were issued from Mexico
City. Department heads in washing
ton announced it as their opinion hos
tilities could not be averted.
Fourth-Without explanation. a
sudden reversal of feeling was appa-
rent both in statements issued at
Washington and Mexico City. To the
| openly expressed surprise and chagrin
of General TreviHo, commander of the
Mexican army in Chihuahua, he re-
ceived an order to release the Amerl-
can prisoners.
Pershing Backed Up. Too.
/ Fifth-General Pershing started
with his command for the border
G s1eral Carranza authorized the state
] ment that the Americans were getting
4 out of the country and destroyed his
i defiant reply to the secretary of states
ultimatum, sending, instead, the color
/ less, evasive communication made
public Wednesday,
1t is not believed here either by
Mexican or American army officers
. that the situation has been materially
/ changed by the peace talk Carranza
money is without any value whatever