Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-25
Mexico Would
Keep U. S. :
Friendship
Official Magazine Makes First
Authorized Comment on AL
legged Efforts of Germans to
EmbroiI the Two North Amer
lean Republics in War.

mans to embroil Mexico and the Unit
ed States appeared today in the Mex
lean Review, a monthly magazine pub
lished in the United States by the Mex
lean Government to explain the Mex
lean point of view on questions affect
ing the United States.
The article, the text of which is
given below, reveals, among other
things, that Gen. Obregon, Minister of
War, has just prohibited all foreigners
from entering the Mexican army, and
has ordered those in the army to leave
the service, a move that ought to do
much to remove apprehensions that
German reservists are being eagerly
added to the Mexican forces. The Re-
view editorial, undoubtedly viseed by
the Mexican Government, is as follows:
For several months past there has
been a very determined and very per-
sistent movement carried on in por-
ton of the press Of the United States
whose perfectly apparent object is to
embroil this country and Mexico in
trouble through allegations Of intrigue
between Germany and the Constitu-
tionalist Government. The centre Of
this movement has been in Ell Paso,
that point from which, during the past
five years, have emanated so many
falsehoods regarding Mexico that in
telligent people long since refused to
believe any story, no matter how
plausible, that bore the date of the
Texas city.
These stories, whose object Is SO
apparent that any reasonable person
h; ,o1r
credence, have been of the most alb
surd character, and really should re-
ceive no attention but the Review
proposes to show the fallacy of at
least some of them.
For example, 1t has been said that
thousands of Germans have crossed
the border from the United States in
to Mexico during the past three or four
months, and since the situation be-
tween the two now hostile countries
became critical. AS a matter of fact,
the records Of the various ports along
the border and through which only
can any considerable number of per-
sons pass from one country to the
other, show that in that period less
than two hundred Germans, all told,
have crossed the line. The actual
number is between $50 and ITO.
Careful watch kept at the port OF
Tampico by private parties, not con-
nected with either Government, but
vitality interested in learning the truth,
show that exactly thirty Germans are
in that city who may be classed as
new Corners.
Less Than 500 Passports.
H\rn n1x hot
and Mexican ports can land foreigners
at the latter who are not provided with
passports issued by Mexican Consular
officials in the United States. During
the period while the scare" has been
most diligently in process of incuba-
ton, less than 500 such passes have
been issued.
so far from their being, as posi-
lively declared, large numbers of Ger
man officers in the Mexican army,
there are none. There are, perhaps,
half a dozen men of German parentage
on the fathers side, natives of Mexico
and Mexican citizens, in one branch or
another of the army, but these have
been there since the commencement
of the revolution, and joined the Con-
sttutlonallSt forces at time when no
one dreamed of any trouble between
the United States and Germany.
Gen. Obregon. Secretary of War and
Navy. has just prohibited absolutely
the entry of any foreigner into the
army, and has commanded that those
| IN the army must leave the service.
As to the Banking Situation.
Much has been made by some who
orn ION oot re
| legation that a German bank in Mexico
City has been favored by being per
mitted' to continue business, while
British, French, and other foreign
owned banking institutions were said
to have been proceeded against. The
fact is that not only was the German
Bank allowed to continue operations
but so also all the banks which were
not banks of emission and did not fall
naturally within the obligation of
guaranteeing their notes.
THE banks that found themselves in
trouble were those that had refused to
comply with the law regarding the re-
demption of their paper currency and
there was no question Of the nation
atty of their ownership. Mexican
owned banks Of issue were treated ex-
actly as were foreign-owned institl.
tons. But the Canadian, the Amer.
lean. the French, and the German
banks, having no note issues. con.
tinued business without interruption.
THE mortgage banks, one Of them Of
French capital and another of English
capital, have not been in the leas-
molested, and they have even found
themselves exempt from redeemins
their mortgage bonds at the presen
time.
The following banks are now on.
Grating in the City Of Mexico: Banct
Internacionale Hipotecario: Credi
Foncier Mexicain; Compania Bancaris
de Paris Y Mexico; Mexico City Bank
ing Co; Mercantile Banking Co.; tn,
Canadian Bank of Commerce; tn,
Bank Of Montreal: Descuento Espa.
mol, and Banco Central Mexicano, al
Of them well known in Mexico.
THE entire list Of falsehoods in this
connection might be gone through
with, but these are sufficient as ex.
amples. and their refutation Is but ar
illustration of the character Of the
whole tissue Of Misrepresentation.
1T Is true there are large number