South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-20


Obregon stated. because. among other
/ things. IL imposed improper cOndi-
tiOns upon the Mexican government.
Notwithstanding the assurances
/ in the memorandum. IL is well known
that the forces Of the de facto gov
eminent have not carried on a vigor-
Gus pursuit Of the remaining bandits
and that no proper distribution Of
I forces 10 prevent the invasion OF
! American territory has been made.
as viii be shown by the further facts
I hereinafter set forth. / am reluc-
tant TO be forced 10 the conclusion
which might be drawn from these
circumstances that the de facto gov
eminent. in spite or the crimes COM
mitted and the sinister designs Of
villa and his followers. did not and
/ does not intend or desire that these
outlaws should be captured. destroy
ed o. dispersed by American troops,
or at the request OF this govern
ment by Mexican troops.
LIE Is Passed.
While the conferences at e. Paso
were in progress, and after the
American cOnferees had been assur-
ed on May End that the Mexican
forces in the northern part of the
republic were then being augmented
so as 10 be able TO prevent any dis
orders that would endanger Amer
! lean territory. a band of Mexicans
on the night of May 5th. made an
attack at Glenn Springs. Texas.
about 90 miles north OF the border.
killing American soldiers and civil
ians. burning and sacking property
and carrying off two Americans as
! prisoners. Subsequent to this event
the Mexican government. as you
state. gave instructions 20 Gen.
. Gbreeon TO notify the United States
that IT would not permit the fur
| ther passage of American troops
into Mexico on this account. and
that orders had been given TO all
military commanders along the
| frontier not to consent TO same.
This government is. of course. not
! in a position to dispute the state
ment that these instructions had
/ been given to Gen. Obregon, but it
can decisively assert that Gen. Obre-
gon never gave any such notiica-
ton to Gen. Scott or Gen. F'uns-
ton or. so far as known. 10 any
! other American official Gen. Obre-
| gon did. however. inquire as to
whether American troops had enter
! ed Mexico in pursuit of the Glenn
| Springs raiders. and Gen. Funston
| stated that no orders had been is
sued to American troops to cross
the frontier on account of the raid.
but this statement was made before
any such orders had been issued and
not afterwards, as the erroneous
account OF the interview given in
your note would appear TO indicate.
no statement was made by the
+, American generals that mo more
American troops would cross into
our territory.
Threatened Invasion.
on the contrary it was pointed
out TO Gen. Obregon and to Mr..
Juan AmadOr, who was present at
] the conference. and pointed out with
| emphasis. that the Bandits De La
Rosa and Pedro Vino. who had been
| instrumental in causing the in
vasion of Texas above Brownsville,
were even then reported TO be ar
ranging i'm the neighborhood of
Victoria for another raid across the
border. and it was made clear to
Gen Obregon that if the Mexican
government did not take immediate
steps 10 prevent another invasion of
the United States by these maraud-
ers, who were frequently seen in the
company of Gen. Nafarrette, the
cOnstitutionalist commander Mex
leo would find in Tamaulipas an
other punitive expedition similar to
that then in Chihuahua. American
troops crossed into Mexico on May
10th. upon notification to the local
military authorities. under the re-
pudiated agreement OF March To-
18th, or in any event in accordance
with the practice adopted over 40
years ago, when there was no
agreement regarding pursuit of
marauders across the international
boundary. These troops penetrated
166 miles in Mexican territory in
pursuit of the Glenn Springs marau-
ders without encountering de-
tachment of Mexican troops or a
single Mexican soldier Further
discussion of this raid, however. is
not necessary. because the American
forces sent in pursuit of the bandits
recrOssed into Texas on the morn
ing of May 22nd. the date OF your
note under consideration-a further
proof of the singleness of purpose OF
this government in endeavoring to
prevent disorder and stamp out law
lessness along the border.