The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-03
|RMAhY ADMITS MEXICAN PLOT
AGAINST PEACEFUL UNITED STATES
form. The whole 'pIot' falls flat
to the Ground In case tho United
States does not declare war

to the Ground In case tho United
States does not declare war
acslnse 10. e..-5.5s-.--z.-==--5--4-=---
And II we reaiiy, as the report
alleges, considered the possibility
Of hostile act by tho United
States against us, then we really
had reasons to do 80.
An Argentine newspaper which
printed a story a short while ago
really revealed the plot when, In
telling that the United States last
year suggested to the other Am
erlcan republic to unite In common
action against German and her al
lies, the foreign secretary contin-
ued.
This plot was apparently not
conditional In the least. The news
as published by the newspaper
LaPrensa we'll abreed with the
Interpretation given, for instance
Edward Price Bell, London CORES
pondent, who said that the United
States was only waiting for tho
proper moment In order to oppor-
tuneiy assist the entente.
The Same American stated that
Americans from the beginning Of
tho war really participated in It by
putting the Immense resources Of
tho United States at the entente's
dispooaI and that the Americans
had not declared war only because
they felt sure that assistance by
friendly neutrality would be dur
ino that time much more efficient
for the entente, than direct parti-
cIpatlon In the war.
Whether this American news
paper man represented the facts
exactly, we were at loss to judge
In satisfactory fashion, since we
were more or less completely cut
on from real communication with
the United States.
But there were other facts
which seemed to confirm this and
similar assurances.
Everybody knows these facts
and need not repeat them.
The entente propaganda serv-
ices have sufficiently heraIded all
these pro-entente demonstrations
In the United States. And II you
link these demonstrations, togeth-
er with the actual attitude Of the
United States, then Il is obvious
that the consideration was not
frivolous on our part OF what de-
fensive measures we should take
n we were attacked by the United
States.
Another View Of Plot.
BY Ralph H: Turner, United Pres
Staff Correspondent
TOXIC, March 3.-That the lette
If German Foreign Secretary Zin
herman was designed wholly L
,reate distrust of Japan in the Unii
ID States and to stir up new troubl
between the United Stabes and Mes
co, was the view expressed by ol
icials here today.
The belief was stated that German,
lever expected the GermanJapanese
Mexican alliance proposed in the lei
er Zimmerman wrote to the German
minister at Mexico City to be a sue
.ess. The sole aim of the move, o:
iciaIs here declare, was to SOW tn
leeds of discord amongst the entent
lilies in the western hemisphere AM
n the orient.
Not a Great Secret.
TOLEDO, Ohio, March 3.-"The &C
ivity of Germany in Mexico revealed
n the German plot letter, was knowI
mong Detroit motor car manufactur
rs at least three weeks before the let
er was given to the public, sait
'heo. F. MacManus Of Toledo and De
roit, one of the country's leading ad
ertising men, here today.
Pancho Villas secretary. an Ameri
an. and his brother, were in Detroi
ecently, trying to buy two hundred
for Villas army. They
ad plenty Of money and certificates
7hey were unable to get the cars, The
taking the position tha
he sale would be unfair, considering
be strained relations between the two
"The secretary seemed very much
urprised and during one OF the con
erences he made the statement thai
'arranza was being financed by Ger
ian money and that Villa was receiv
1g his backing from Japan.
"This information has been in the
ands of the government at Washing
On for days.
"The secretary said that fifty pei
ent of the men in Villas command
re American army deserters. He said
My one, machine gun operator, very
liter against the United States, would
ght for Mexico against the United
tates, however.
THE secretary made 1t plain thai
lila had plenty of money. He said ol
purse the cars could be secured, bu,
e hoped to get them at factory prices
aid MacManus.
Japan Not interested.
BY Ralph H Turner. United Pres:
Staff Correspondent
TOXIC, March declaring Japar
ad received no such proposal a:
: Continued on paxA n