Arizona republican., 1916-05-03
Developments Await Ad- vices from General Scott as to His Further Confer ence with General Obre- gon on the Border
WITHDRAWAL IS
 NOT CONSIDERED
No Indication of Change
 in Determination of the
 President Not to Accept Any Proposal Conditioned
 on Withdrawal of Troops
Republican A. P. Leased Wlre1


 WASHINGTON, May 2.-Develop- ments here in the Mexican situation tonight awaited advices from General Scott as to his further conference with General Obregon at Fl Paso. The war department had received no report from the chief of staff up to late hour
 Administration officials declared the situation to be unchanged in any re- spect after President Wilson and his cabinet had conferred at the regular Tuesday meeting. Secretary Baker said late that General Funston's original orders to pursue the Columbus raid CTS into Mexico still stood, as did the original purpose of the expedition. l There was no indication tonight of any change in the determination of President Wilson not to accept any | proposal of the Carranza government conditioned on the immediate with | drawal of the American forces in Mex l ico. This element of the suggestions presented by General Obregon at the military conference and by Eliseo Ar rendondo, General Carranza's s ambassa- | dor designate here, has also so far proved a stumbling block to an agree ment for wider cooperation in the bandit chase, the object of General Scott's discussions with the war min ister
 From Mexican sources it was learned today that based upon the immediate
 withdrawal of the American troops General CarranZa has offered through
 his two representatives to place an active army of 25,000 men in north
 ern Mexico as soon as the Americans are withdrawn. The offer was accom-
 panied by assurances, it is said, that
 more than half of this force would be
 placed as to guarantee border towns from future bandit raids. while the
 remainder would be used in a vigorous
 pursuit of bandits until the whole ter ritory adjacent to the border had been
 absolutely cleared of outlaws. It was the condition of immediate
 American withdrawal attached to the
 offer it is understood which led to the
 interruption of the Fl Paso conference
 while Generals Scott and Funston laid the situation before President
 Wilson. They had not power to deal on that basis. There is nothing to indicate that any such power has been l conferred upon them in the additional
 instructions sent by Secretary Baker
 at their request and after conferences with the president.
 ! Officials maintained silence today
 as to the nature of the new instruc- tions to General Scott It is believed : however. that he was authorized to
 make it clear to General Obregon that
 while no proposal for immediate wit/-
 drawal would be entertained, the
 Washington government would vel
 come a demonstration of intention and
 ability of the de facto government to
 carry out it's program
 There is reason to believe that the
 American officers now have author
 ity to make concessions in the way of
 limiting the zone in which General V Pershing's forces will operate until a l determination has been made Such : questions as that of using the Mexican f railways to supply the Ameicran y troops also may be waived it is un- a derstood, if they embarrass the de . facto government in its domestic re- d lations. The American army officials e are confident of their ability to main- f, tain the shortened supply lines by mo- tor truck.
 Just what would be required in the $ way of demonstration by the Mex o jeans is not known. The bandit Villa o has been the only figure among the g outlaws of the border region who l. could gather about him a force suf- N ficient to menace the relations be- s tween the two governments, because 10 of the boldness of its operations. Ii in is understood however that at the Continued on Page Two)