New-York tribune., 1918-07-27
What Mr.. Gates Heard
To the Editor of The Tribl


Sir: was yesterday shown a clipping
from The Tribune, some statements in
which l beg you will permit me to correct.
The item stated that had seen and pho
tographed large German wireless station
on an island off the Mexican coast, which
photographs l had since shown in this
country.
| have just returned from about year
in and through Yucatan, Mexico and Qua
temala, travelling on my own account for
the interest of the trip and for archn ologi
cal and linguistic studies. spent great
deal of time among the Indians in their
villages, as we'll as in visiting many friends
IN the cities and meeting a number of the
leading officials of the government. in
Guiding the President, Don Venustiano Car
ranza-a most cordial man to meet. under
the right circumstances, and, as l see it.
most capable in the putting through of his
personal plans
But was not on any coast island saw
no wireless station and, of course. photo
graphed none. I have not even seen anv
such photographs, and consequently have
shown none.
The constant reports from Yucatan, Cam
peche and Mexico, clear into Guatemala. of
advance news that by its nature must have
come over some German wireless were so
constant that l took it all for granted
was told definitely where such stations
must have been, one of them on hill near
Mexico City, but I also had reason to be-
leVe that others had seen them and that
photographs were actually in this country.
1t was not my business to touch such mat
ters' and did not even try to visit or YER
lfy the fact of such stations We are at
peace with the Mexican government. Il ;s
at peace with Germany.
The paragraph as to the eouinment from
Salvador was wholly new to me, though
stated in the article as if repeated bv mo
never heard the story till I saw it in the
clipping from The Tribune. AS told espe-
clally the connection of an American war
vessel, very much doubt it's truth. There
were very we'll defined reports of an under-
standing between Mexico and Salvador n
invade Guatemala from both sides s;mu1+o
neously, each to have piece of terr;torv
from the expedition, that of Salvador be;no
a port on the Caribbean The disaccord
between Presidents Carranza and Estrada
cabrera of Guatemala is matter of common
knowledge, and there were previous border
troubles. But | never heard of the wire.
less plant story
The article also says that was received
with some honors by various bandit chief.
including Villa. was never within tbor,
sand miles of Villa. I spent much tina
among the Indians, having ridden a good
l,ooo miles, much of it entirely alone or
with an Indian to care for my horse. In tho
whole time did not see a single hard;+
chief; everybody talks about them. and
told me | could not pass, but I never saw
even one. There is civil war in Mexico. and
doubtless bandits as we'll. had do.
llghttul trip and found the great mass n,
the Mexican people more than friendlv ~
u.s. There is, of course, a quite definite
and extended anti-American propaganda.
bat 1T all starts from two or three eas;1,,
seen quarters, of people who have sone-
thing to gain by tor think thew have
WILLIAM GATES.
New York, July 25, 1918.