Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-20

tuesday,. JUNE 20, Is
in foreign country. and the activity Of
a foreign press as interference by the
United States government in the do
nestle politics of Mexico. II a denial
is needed that this government has
had Interior and improper motives in
its diplomatic representations. or has
countenanced the activities of Ameri-
can sympathiZers and the American
press opposed to the de facto govern
ment, I am glad most emphatically TO
deny it. 1t is. however, a matter of
common knowledge that the Mexican
press has been more active than the
press in the United States in endeavor-
ing to inflame the two peoples against
ca CHI other and to force the two coun-
tries into hostilities. With the power
of censorship of the Mexican press. so
vigorously exercised by the de facto
activity cannot. it would seem, be
avoided by that government. and the
issue of the appeal of Gen. Carranza
himself in the press of March II. call
ing upon the Mexican people to he pre-
pared for any emergency which might
arise. and intimatins that war with
the United States was imminent, evil
dences the attitude of the de facto
government toward these publications.
1t should not be a matter of surprise
that after such manifestations of hos
tile feeling the United States was
doubtful of the purpose for which the
large amount of ammunition was to be
used which the de facto government
appeared eager to import from TINS
country. Moreover. the policy of the
de facto government in refusing to CO.
operate and in failing to act independ-
emily in destroying the Villa bandits
in the vicinity of the border so as to
remove the danger of war materials,
while. passing southwark through this
zone. falling into the hands OF the
enemies of law and order is, in the
opinion of this government. a sufficient
ground, even if there were no other
for the refusal to allow such materials
to cross the boundary into the bandit
infested region. To have permitted
these shipments without careful scrut-
my would, in the circumstances, have
been to manifest a sense of security
which would have been unjustified.
Why Carranza Was Recognized.
Candor compels me to add that the
unconcealed hostility of the subor-
dinate military commanders of the
de facto government toward the Amer
lean troops engaged in pursuing the
Villa bands and the efforts of the de
facto government to compel their
threats and show of military force in
stead of by aiding in the capture Of
the outlaws constitute a menace to the
safety of the American troops and to
the peace of the border AS long as
this menace continues and there is any
evidence of an intention on the part
of the de facto government or its mill
tary commanders to use force against
the American troops instead of coop
Grating with them. the government of
the United States will not permit mu-
nitions of war or machinery for their
manufacture to be exported from this
country to Mexico
AS to the shelter and supply of reb-
els and conspirators on American ter
ritory. | can state that vigorous ef-
forts have been and are being made
by the agents of the United States to
apprehend and bring to justice all per-
sons found to be conspiring to violate
the laws of the United States by or
ganizing to oppose with arms the
de facto government of Mexico. Po-
litical refugees have undou tedly
sought asylum in the United States,
but this government has vigilantly
kept them under surveillance and has
not hesitated to apprehend them upon
proof of their criminal intentions. as
the arrest of Gen. Huerta and others
fully attests.
Having corrected the erroneous state
ments of fact to which have adverted
the real situation stands forth in its
true light. 1t is admitted that Ameri-
can troops have crossed the internal
tional boundary in hot pursuit of the
Columbus raiders and without notice to
or the consent of your government, but
the several protestations on the part
of this government by the President
by this departure, and by other Amer
lean authorities. that the object of
the expedition was to capture. destroy.
or completely dispense the Villa bands
<nf t1ay hi u
to the Mexican authorities when as
sured that it would be effectively full
filled, have been carried out in perfect
good faith by the United States. Its
efforts, however. have been obstructed
at every point: first, by insistence on
a palpably useless agreement which
you admit was either not to apply to
the present expedition or was to con-
tain impracticable restrictions on its
organization and operation: then by
actual opposition, encouraged and fos-
tered by the de facto government to
the further advance of the expedition
into Villa territory, which was fol-
lowed by the sudden suspension of all
negotiations for an arrangement for
the pursuit of Villa and his followers
and the protection of the frontier; and
finally by a demand for the immediate
withdrawal of the American troops
Meantime, conditions of anarchy in the
border states of Mexico were con-
tinually growing worse. Incursions
into American territory We're plotted
and perpetrated; the Glenn Springs
raid was successfully executed, while
no effective efforts were being made
by Gen. Carranza to improve the con-
ditions and to protect American terri
tory from constant threat of invasion.
In view of this increasing menace, of
the inactivity of the Carranza forces
of the lack of cooperation in the ap-
prehension of the Villa bands, and of
the known encouragement and aid
given to bandit leaders. it is unrea-
sonable to expect the United States to
withdraw its forces from Mexican ter
rftory or to prevent their entry again
when their presence is the only check
upon further bandit outrages and the
only efficient means of protecting
American lives and homes-safeguards
which Gen. Carranza, though interna-
tionally obligated to supply, is mani
testify unable or unwilling to give
Hostility of the Commanders.
In view of the actual state of affairs
as I have outlined it above, 1 am now
in position to consider the conclu-
sions which you have drawn in your
note under acknowledgment from the
erroneous statements of fact which you
have set forth.
Your government intimates. II 1t does
not openly charge, that the attitude of
the United States is one of insincerity,
distrust and suspicion toward the de
factor government of Mexico, and that
the intention of the United States in
sending its troops into Mexico is to ex-