Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-28

OIUW HIIItCu al HiIiCi lOCl
NEW YORK, May 25.-Juan L. Mon
talvo. Cuban minister of the interior,
who came here recently for his health,
expressed surprise today when inform
ed that Mexico had announced the
breaking off of diplomatic relations with
Cuba. AS head of the ARMY, navy and
secret police of the island republic, he
said, he had received no advices from
Havana on the subject, but was prepar-
ed to leave at once for home upon re-
ceiving official information of the break.
He added that he would cable to Presi-
dent Menocal at once.
After reading, however, the statement
of General Aguilar, Mexican minister
of foreign affairs, explaining the recall
of the Mexican diplomatic representative
in Cuba, Mr.. Montalvo expressed the
belief that Mexico was striking at the
United States through Cuba"
Mexico" he said, els actuated with
a doubt by hostility toward the United
States and is striking at it through Cuba,
President CarTanza has said privately
I am informed, that he favored the Ger
man cause in this war although he has
never admitted it officially
General AguiIar's protestations of
Mexico's friendship for Cuba are, in my
opinion, insincere. He well knows that
Cuba is acting in cooperation with the
allies and at the request Of the United
States, to whom Cuba owes so mech
in handling her exports.
"I believe this severance of diplomat
ic relations is simply a maneuver on
the part of the Mexican government to
obtain a greater amount of food and
other products from Cuba, we'll knowing
that in the case of sugar, at least, our
output for many months has has been
contracted for by the United States and
her allies, excepting a small surplus
which, has been available to Mexico and
other countries not in the war. 1t is
untrue that Cuba at any time has with
held sugar from Mexico, except as the
exigencies of war and the obligations
growing out of it have forced us to
limit our exports
The effect of Mexico possibly cutting
off it's exports of peas, beans and petro-
leum to Cuba, Mr.. Montalvo said, would
not be serious. The gravity of the stu
alton for the allies. he thought, rested
more upon what disposition the Car
rama government may show toward
them in regard to the supply of oil from
the Tampico fields for the allied ma
vies.
Cuba is prepared, however. for any
thing the Mexican government may be
planning to 90, continued Mr.. MOntaI-
vo. 81 shall lose no time in getting
back home when officially apprised of
the new turn that affairs have taken.
Two days before I left Havana for
New York. a Mexican gunboat appeared
in the harbor and was rigidly searched
by my orders. Aboard her we found
German spy and Senior Ysidro Fabela,
Mexican minister to Argentina. We
made no arrests, however. and after
short delay, allowed them to proceed.
The report that we had confisca ted
or stolen Fabela's baggage is untrue;
we seized nothing, but this incident, [
suppose. has been exaggerated by the
pro-German propagandists in Mexico
and made to infiame Mexican sentiment
against us.
ION accoutn of this war Cubas has been
obliged to maintain a strict censorship
and many suspects from Mexico have
been taken into custody. We have no
internment camps so all we do is to
send them back to Mexico as undesir-
ables.
Much mail in frrtherance of German
designs has also been intercepted. The
nature of the letters seized by US
aboard Mexican and Spanish steamers
proved. beyond doubt, the intense pro-
German sentiment of the Mexican gov
eminent and people and that Carranza
is endeavoring to aid the central pow
ers in every way. I see only the hand
Of Germany in this new development of
affoirSn