Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-01

ton in Mexico. Baron Won schoen's
association with the moves, II any at
all. does not appear. Tho only OUT
ward indication that he might have
in the fact that he recently had been
detached from the German embassy
in Toxic and was we'll acquainted
with the Japanese minister in Mexico
City.
That "Peace Propoeal.s
Carranza's peace proposal was
openly pronounced an evidence Of
German influence in Mexico by ohl-
cials here. who declared it was In
States. Then apparently some infiu-
ences showed their effect on the
course of the Mexican government
and on February 25 Cabrera, the MIN.
lister of Finance. issued q statement
describing the "amazement" of the
Mexican government that tho Ameri.
can newspapers should have inter.
preted Carranza's proposal to cut Off
exports of munitions as suggestion
that he might cut off shipments Of
British OIL They were, Cabrera de-
clared, entirely groundless." and that
feature Of the situation ended.
! There was no intimation that Ger
many's astounding proposal that
Japan turn traitor to her allies had
been arranged by Toxic.
Bernstorff's Connection. .
Count Won Bernstorff's connection
with the plot. further than serving
as channel of communication, is in
tensified by the fact that tho Ger
man embassy here was not merely the
medium of delivering message in this
instance. but was really sort Of
headquarters for all the German mis-
stons in Central and South America.
The German naval attache, Captain
Boy-ed, and the military attache.
Captain Won Papen. whose recall was
forced by the state department be.
cause of their military activities in
this country, also were accredited to
Mexico and between the outbreak of
the war and their departure from this
country. made at least one visit there.
Naval Base Likely.
For months many naval oflcers
Gus German sea raiders Of the South
Atlantic must have found base
somewhere on the Mexican coast, and
that such base could not be main
tained without the knowledge and
consent of Mexican officials. Last
November the British charge at Mex
leo City presented to the Carranza
was discovered that Mexican neutral-
ity thus had been violated, the Allies
would take Drastic measures' to
prevent a continuance Of that situa.
ton.
In note almost insolent in tone,
Foreign Minister Aguilar replied to
the charge that, in effect, it was the
business of the allies to keep German
submarines out of Western waters and
that II they were not kept out, Mexico
would adopt whatever course the cir
cumstances might commend.
Attacks on Banks. .
To German influences also have
been attributed in some quarters the
vigorous steps taken by the dc facto
the Banco Nacional and the Bank Of
London and Mexico. owned by French
| and British capital. The institutions
were closed by the Mexican authori->
ties and some of their officers and
held for weeks despite repeated pro-
tests by France, Great Britain and the
United States.
Reports Of German machine guns
and German gunners in the Carranza
army also have been persistent, al
though the relative Importance Of
that to the proposed alliance is not
fully established. It was recalled to-
night, too, that last November, when
the Mexican-American joint commits
sion was making its futile effort to
eauJ1SL Iue OlilCulIleS between In0
two countries, the Hungarian
am mbassador at Mexico City, Count
Kalman KAMA Volkanya, made a trip
to the United States on what he de-
scribed as a secret mission" .
Hint BY Cabrera.
A suggestion interpreted by some
officials as in indicat ton that Germany
might have made approaches to Mexi-
CO at that time was made by Cabrera
in an address at Philadelphia on Mo-
vember 10. -.
The foes Of the United States will
certainly assume to be friends Of.
friends Of Mexico" said Mr.. Cabrera. s.
"and will try to take advantage of .
any sort of resentment Mexico may
have against the United States -