The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-09-09
.PLOTTERS DENOUNCED

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Wasbington.-The full text of Presi-
dent Wilson's statement in denuncia-
ton of alarmist reports likely to
arouse both the American and Mexi-
can populace" due. he says, to the &C
tivity of interventionists, follows:
''As has already been announced.
the expedition into Mexico was or
dered under an agreement with the
de facto government of Mexico, for
the single purpose of taking that
bandit Villa whose forces had actually
invaded the territory of the United
States; and it is in no sense intended
as an invasion of that republic, or as
an infringement of its sovereignty.
Il have therefore asked the
several news services to be good
enough to assist the administra-
ton in keeping this view of the
expedition constantly before both the
people of this country and the dis
tressed and sensitive people of Mex
leo who are very susceptible indeed "a
Impressions received from the Ameri-
can press not only but also very ready
to believe that those impressions pro
ceed from the views and Impressions
of our government itself.
"Such conclusions, it must be said,
are not unnatural, because the main.
II not the only, source of information
for the people on both sides of the
border is the public press of the
United States.
"In order to avoid the creation of
erroneous and dangerous impressions
in this way, / have called upon the
several news agencies to use the ut
re egarding this expedition the color OF
war; to withhold stories OF troop
movements and military preparations.
which might be given that interpreta-
ton, and to refrain from publishing
unverified rumors OF unrest in Mex
leo.
81 felt that 1t is most desirable to
impress upon both our own people
and the people of Mexico the fact that
the expedition is simply a necessary,
punitive measure, aimed solely at the
elimination of the marauders who
raided Columbus and who infest un-
protected districts near the border.
which they use as a base in making
attacks upon the lives and property
of our citizens within our own terri
tory.
1T is the purpose OF our command
ers to cooperate in every possible
way with the forces Of Gen. Carranza
in removing this cause of irritation to
both governments, and to retire from
Mexican territory as soon as that OBJ
ject is accomplished.
"It is my duty to -garn the people
of the United states that there are
persons, all along the border. who are
actively engaged in originating and
giving as wide currency as they can
to rumors of the most sensational and
disturbing sort which are wholly un-
justified by the facts.
The object of this traffic in false
hoods Is obvious: 1t is to create intol
erable friction between the govern
ment of the United States and the de
facto government Of Mexico for the
purpose of bringing about intervention
in the interest of certain American
owners of Mexican properties.
This object cannot be obtained so
long as sane and honorable men are
in control of this government. but
very serious conditions may be Gre
ated; unnecessary bloodshed may re-
suit, and the relations between the
two republics may be very much en-
| barrassed.
THE people of the United States
should know the sinister and unscru-
pulous influences that are afoot and
should be on their guard against cred
iting any story coming from the bor-
der: and those who disseminate the
news should make 1t matter of pa
trictism and OF conscience to test the
source and authenticity Of every re-
port they receive from that quarter.
"(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"