Arizona republican., 1916-04-30
General Oregon Required by His Instructions to Limit Discussion to the Question of Withdrawal of American Troops
SESSION BRIEF
 AND FRUITLESS
Americans Furnished With Program Involving Occu- patton of Mexican Zone Until VilIistas and Other Bandits Are Disposed of
Republican A. p. Leased wire1

FL PASO, Texas, April 29. Two conflicting propositions developed i'm mediately after the beginning. in the Mexican customs house in Juarez late this afternoon. of the first conference to decide the future disposition of the American expeditionary forces in Mexico. They are understood tempo rarily to have increased the gravity of the negotiations.
 The initial meeting was held behind closed doors in the big green tinted room which Francisco Villa used as his council chamber when he domi- mated northern Mexico and Juarez was his headquarters. General Hugh L. Scott and Frederick Funston rep resented the United States. The Mex ican conferees were General Alvaro Obregon, Mexican minister of war and General Jacinto Treyino, military ] commander of the northeast district of Mexico.
 The progress of the negotiations was not divulged but from an author ! itative source two things were learned: 1 First. that the Mexican representa- 1 tives reiterated the wish expressed in l General Carranza's recent note to the
 Washington government that he American troops should be withdrawn from Mexican soil at an early date: ! second. that they were informed by the American officials that the latter were not empowered to discuss the with
 drawal of General Pershing columns. It is understood the American rep
 resentatives told the Mexican con
 ferees that if the de facto government
 insisted on an American evacuation. the conference would go into q dead lock and the whole matter would re-
 vert to diplomatic discussion be 1 tween Washington and Mexico City.
 The Mexicans further were informed
 that the purpose of the present confer ? ence, so far as the United States is concerned is the development CT a l specific plan for the cooperation of : the American and de facto armies in X wiping out the bandit groups that have spilled so much blood along the n border and have repeatedly taken a American life in the interior oi @ Mexico
 n It is understood that General 0bre- 0 son. the Mexican minister of war. priol e to the conference openly expressed 6 e disinclination to discuss any othel = subject than withdrawal, and that h' ?. carried this attitude into the initia = meeting.
 After the primary issues had bee d preached. however. he is reported f h have carried out the intention he an K nounced shortly after his arrival ol
 Friday of meeting Generals Scott ant
 Funston half way" i'll the negotia
 tions.
 The attitude of secretiveness main
 tained by the officials taking part i Il the conference gave rise to all sort of speculations in Fl Paso tonigh l. Mexican officials declared their inten 's ton of allowing the Americans to d lu all the talking. The latter refused a It, but the most inconsequential inforna 'u ton regarding developments. eS In well informed quarters, howeve e the opinion was freely expressed fha he the present negotiations are unlil1e U to lead to any definite disagreement ; It was pointed out that the Carraui
 government could not afford 10 tai
 any step that would endanSer
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