Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-29
CARRANZA' s MEN
REAL BANDITS Of
TROUBLE COUNTRY
William Gates, Close Personal
Efiend Of Secretary Baker,
Says President Wilson Has
Been Much Misled,


Washington July 2S-CarranZa g
rule of Mexico is mot a govern
ment, but band of outlaws. both
technically and practically" and "to-
day it is utterly impossible, an en-
emy of its own people first and
America second William Gates of
Baltimore, an archaeologist, told the
hearing on the Gould resolution pro-
posing a congressional inquiry into
Mexican affairs.
Although asserting that President
Wilson was misled in making his
decision to recognize Carranza, be-
lieving the Mexican to be a "peo-
pies champion" Gates declared in
favor OF leaving the solution of the
Mexican problem with the presi-
dent The president, he said had
been not fully informed of condi-
tions in the southern republic.
Twenty Years in Mexico.
Gates said his opinions were based
on first-hand study of Mexican
conditions for about a year begin
ming in July, 1917, during which
usually not seen by traveller in
Guiding the states of Yucatan, Vera
Cruz, Pueblo, Morales and Oaxaca.
For twenty years, he explained, he
had been building up a library of
Mexican antiquities and literature,
and his trip was to obtain more ma
terial and to find out what was
gong Un Denlnd tile 'veil Of Our CEN
sorship and the Carranza censor
ship"
Carranza's control includes the
main ports and the railroads, with
adjoining territory for a mile on
either side the transportation lines,
Gates asserted. This control, he
said, is that "of a body of soldiers
who are ready to shoot at mo-
ments notice in country where
nobody else has any guns"
The So-Called Bandits.
Maintaining that a general politi-
cal revolution is on in Mexico, Gates
declared the so-called bandits are
the country people, who when the
Carrancistas come in to make a raid,
take up their guns and become
bandits in the eyes of the govern
ment."
In answer to an inquiry whether
the United States government now
is fully and fairly advised of Mex
lean conditions, Gates answered:
Il am satisfied that President Will
son was betrayed by Carranza just as
Carranza betrayed the Mexican people.
l imagine that President Wilson, like
many another faithful man. will try
to stick to his friends for long time.
We have been running along that dip
lomatic track that there was no Mex
leo but Carranza, except mere BAN
dts without any political purpose. and
that Carranza ought to have our help
to suppress these bandits. There must
have been some private interests be-
ing served in the background. There
always are in all parties. That the real
facts, under such circumstances, could
reach as far as President Wilson
would take a good deal, and l doubt
very much if they did"
Obregcn Anti-American.
General Obregon, who has been
mentioned as presidential candidate
to succeed Carranza, was declared bYI
Gates to be most bitter in his anti
American feeling. Gates also asserted
that he saw "a letter written from the
secretary of the socialist party in this
country to Ohregon, asking him what
he thought--this was about last April
would be a propitous time to take
unified action between the radical ele-
ment of Mexico, Canada, Cuba and the
United States"
Gates told the committee that dur
ing the war, the Germans operated al
wireless station near Mexico City, con-
Meeting with station in Spain which
relayed messages to Nauen. He also
reported a second station was main
tanned by the Germans in one of theI
states south of Mexico City. Secretary
Baker was informed by Gates of these
stations in "the middle of the war"
in 1918, Gates said
Declaring that he had close
friendship with Secretary Baker,
Gates said he had written several let
ters to him, explaining Mexican af-l
fairs. but he asked not to be requested
to place these in the records. becauseI
he did rot want to play politics" with
statements such as one would make
only to a close friend.