The Green Forest tribune., 1917-03-09
y reported but indefnable movements

Ol thC HiVAlttlh Ic NOhpiN its situation with the friction between the United States and Japan.
 It adds another chapter to the cele brated report of Jules Cambon, French ambassador in Berlin before the war, of Germany's worldwide plans for stir ring strife on every continent where they might aid her in the struggle for world domination which she dreamed was close at hand.
 It adds climax to the operations of Count von Bernstorff and the German embassy in this country, which have been colored with passport frauds, charges of dynamite plots and intrigue, the full extent of which never has been published.
 Emphasizes Our Perils. It gives new credence to persistent reports of submarine bases on Mexi | can territory in the Gulf of Mexico; | it takes cognizance Of fact long rec ognized by American army chiefs, | that if Japan ever undertook to in- wade the United States it probably would be through Mexico, over the | border and into the Mississippi valley | to split the country in two. It recalls that Count von Bernstorff when handed his passports was very reluctant to return to Germany, but expressed a preference for asylum in | Cuba.
 It gives new explanation to the repeated arrests on the border of men charged by American military authori- ties with being German intelligence agents.
 | Last of all, it seems to show con- nection with General Carranza's re- cent proposal to neutrals that exports of food and munitions to the entente allies be cut off, and an intimation that he might stop the supply of oil, so vital to the British navy, which is exported from the Tampico fields.
 What Will Congress Do?
 What congress will do, and how members of congress who openly have sympathized with Germany in their opposition to clothing the president with full authority to protect Ameri- can rights will regard the revelation of Germany's machinations to attack the United States is the subject of the keenest interest.
 Such a proposal as Germany in structed her minister to make to Mexi- co borders on an act of war, if, actu- ally, it is not one.
 No doubt exists here now that the persistent reports during the last two years of the operations of German agents not alone in Mexico but all through Central America and the West Indies are based on fact.
 There is now no doubt whatever that the proposed, aia ance with Mex ico was known to high Mexican offi- cials who are distinguished for their anti-Americanism. Among them are Rafael Zubaran, Carranza's minister to Germany, and Luis Cabrera, Car ranza's minister of finance.
 The Hand of Mexico.
 It is apparent that the proposal had taken definite form when Zubaran re- turned to Mexico City from Berlin re- gently. His return from his foreign post was covered by the fact that Car ranza had called in many of his diplo- mats for conferences"
 Denied at Japanese Embassy.
 It was declared by a high Japanese authority on Wednesday night that if the German proposal of an alliance ever reached Tokyo it was regarded as merely a new ebullition of German "kultur'' and that it was thrown in the wastebasket where it belonged.
 He asserted no such proposal had been made to the embassy here and that if it had been no attention would have been paid to it.
 He said "The whole idea was abso- lutely preposterous."
 In order to make an alliance with Germany, he added, 1t would be neces- sary for Japan to break from the allies and negotiate a separate peace with the Teutonic powers. But above all that, he said, the Japanese sincerely desired friendly relations with the United States.
 President Confirms Note.
 Washington, March 8. = Senator Swanson of Virginia announced in the senate today that he had been au- thorized by the president to state the Zimmerman note of January 19, 1917, inviting Mexico to join Germany in war against the United States as pub lished this morning was textually cor rect.
 Knew Nothing of 1t.
 At the Japanese embassy in this city it was declared that if the German proposal of an alliance ever reached Tokyo it was regarded as merely a new ebullition of German "kultur" and that it was thrown in the waste basket, where it belonged
 He asserted no such proposal had been made to the embassy here and that if it had been no attention would have been paid to it.
 He said: "The whole idea was ab- solutely preposterous." In order to make an alliance with Germany, he added, it would be neces- sary for Japan to break with the allies and negotiate a separate peace with the Teutonic powers. But above all that, he said, the Japanese sincerely desired friendly relations with the United States.
 1 son is determined to throw the full weight of the United States into the