New-York tribune., 1919-12-18
Mexican Reply
A Fresh Insult.
Asserts Fall
Senator Expects u. S. Will
Accept 1t in Spirit of
''Peace ON Earth and Good
Will Toward Bandits
Ne,o York Tribune
WushinOton Rnrec5,


WASHINGTON. Dec. 17.-Carranza's
reply to the latest American note to
Mexico on the Jenkins case, in which
the Mexican government declared tha.
the release of William 0. Jenkins,
American consular agent at Puebla, on
bail had removed all motive for mis-
understanding regarding the issue. was
declared to-day by Senator Fall, of
New Mexico, to be "only another in
sult" to the American government
Senator Fall is chairman Of the sub
, committee Of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee that is investigating
the Mexican situation.
"1n this case, as In every other" said
Senator Fall. "this government began
with an ultimatum and ended up with
a pour-parler. In view of my recent
experience, / have no reason to think
anything further will be done by this
government in the Jenkins case, or any
other case, other than back off, wash
our hands in invisible water, roll our
eyes upward and proclaim: Peace on
earth, good will to bandits
Secretary Of State Lansing declined
to discuss the Mexican reply until the
note was actually received at the State
Department. He said that he had not
read the newspaper account of the Car
rama statement and that until the of
fetal response had been received and
read there would be no comment.
Answer Expected
As TO the Carranza note referring
to the jenkins case and published in
the afternoon papers" Senator Fall de-
clared in his statement, 81 can saw that
familiar with Mr.. Carranza's actions
could have dictated the contents of the
note for publication here prior to its
receipt from the Mexican government.
I'm other words, any one familiar
with Carranza and the prior notes be-
tween this government and Carranza
could have told what the Carranza re-
ply would be. On November 20 the
Department Of State notified Carranza
that this government was surprised
and incensed to learn of the REIN
prisonment Of Mr.. Jenkins. etc, etc.
On November 26 the Carranza govern
ment notified us that it could not see
what foundation there should be for
such demand; that is. for the immedi-
ate release of Jenkins, but expressed
the thought that the demand might
not be based wholly upon the strength
Of this country as compared with
Mexico, and the Carranza writer pro-
ceeded at length to discuss every mat
ter but the Jenkins case.
"On November 20 this government
notified MIR. Carranza that the United
States declined to be drawn into a
juridical discussion of irrelevant mat
ters or unimportant Incidents concern
ing the Jenkins case, and then we pro-
ceeded to amble on .conversationally,
treating the Carranza note as though
it actually deserved some considera-
ton.
Ended by Backing Up
"ln other words, in this case, as in
every other, this government has COM
menced with an ultimatum and ended
up with pourparler and final aban-
donment of its position. This govern
ment has submitted to every character
Of insult, official and personal. from
the Carranza government.
"Carranza knows this, as Americans
know. He knows that his blue book
is in the State Department at Wash
ington. He knows that this govern
ment is officially aware through re-
ports of it's agents of his anti i-Ameri-
can propaganda, emanating from every
Mexican embassy In Latin America
He knows that this government is in
formed as to the activities its agents
attempted in connection with Lenine
and Trotzky. He knows that we know
that Romero, not being sufficiently
anti American, his tool, Rojo, has just
been sent to supplant Romero in
Japan. He knows that we know OF
the activities Of his diplomatic and
consular agents here in encouraging
radical action of the most radical so
called labor or revolutionary elements
in this country. He knows that we
know of his personal activities ir
receiving introducing, helping and pay
ing actual revolutionary agents pro-
posing revolution in this country.
His Bluff Worked
He knows that with this ultimatuu
from the United States and defanc,
from himself we then proceeded t.
talk about the matter, and are still
talking about it, although we repeated
our ultimatum in the Identical matter