The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-23
Carranza Prepared for War
With u. S., Records Reveal

I General Manuel NJ. DlcEuez. Em.
I paine. Sonora
Am trying 10 prevent break with
United States. Fear anything may
I happen. Place your troops IN con.
T venient ports 10 prevent invasion Of
American troops. You should have
I everything ready 20 destroy the line
T from Nogaies south and order the
same steps 10 BE- taken IN Naoo and
Aqua Prieta. II war IL declared. or.
I der construction OF hand grcnAdes
that will help us greatly. Hearty
greetings.
'(signsdl V CARRASZA.
A similar message was sent TO Gen.
erai Plutarcc Gales. at Aqua Pri.ta.
Sonora. on that date. To General
AuEustin MILAN a; Jaiapa. Vera
Cruz. Carranza wired:
Ready for Break
our relations with United states
are at the verge % breaking on &C.
count OF Columbus Incident. sup.
{ pose you are all ready.
March Immediately upon Vera
Cruz and take every kind OF precau.
+ ton 50 that In case American ma.
rines try to land YOU fight them"
During the negotiations AZ n paso
between Gen Hugh Scott and Gen.
I Alvaro obregon. following tho Co
lnmbus raid. Carranza tclegrsphed
Oregon from Chapultcpec:
/ Make known 10 Gen. Scott that
any American force CRUISING the
boundary line without both govern
ments previously agreeing 20 a treaty
T 20 that effect shall b. considered a.
nj invading force. and ! VIII order
I. TO be fought"
This Was Different
The stand was repeated IT, subse-
/ aueut directions TO Ohrcgon. Accord
/ ing 10 the highest authority. Il Is
officially the stand OF the Carrnnza
government today. Big clrcum-
/ stances may alter the case. For ex-
ample. when the gath United States
/ Infantry crossed into Juarez last July
Z and defeated Nilistas who had pro-
f. viously whipped tho Carranza gar
Z risnn
In his formal report on tho COM
AAFAFtA A'aAA p wv AfNAA HsAt'A wv AtA tANs
convey the warning 10 Scott at that
time. but later. when American
troops crossed into Mexico 10 pursue
the Glenn Springs raiders. he inn
parted Carrahza's messages
Carranza teleEraphed on May 20 TO
Gen. Alfred Ricaut AT Matamoras
and Cen Reynaldo Cara at Nuevo
Laredo. the following:
"If American forces should come
/ across the border line into our terri
I tory thru any point Of the line under
I your charge. you shall order your
{ men 70 fight them Immediately
/ The following statement was made
+ In a Circular note" 20 the Latin
American governments. which APP
pears In the blue book" in connec-
/ ton with the incident az Mazatlan.
June IS. 1916. when Mexicans fired
/ on a boatload Of American sailors
+ from the gunboat Annapolis
"Was Unavoidable"
Tho American government has
ordered the immediate concentration
Of its army on our border. with Wis.
| ible hostility. wishing TO draw us In.
I 10 war that neither the Mexican
government nor the people have pro
voked. Altho unfair and unequal,
such war seems unavoidable. since
the government and the people Of
Mexico are firmly disposed 10 defend
I their sovereignty and absolute indie.
I pendence. even at the cost Of their
/ blood and destruction OF their
wealth"
/ The Carranza government Inform
Cd the state department during ne
gotiations concerning proposed with
drawal Of the PershlnR expedition.
! that lin case Of refusing 10 retire.
/ there IL nothing left but 10 defend
the Mexican territory by means Of
arms"
/ Nearly a month later. on June 20.
/ 1916. Secretary Lansing replied.
THE United STATES government
surely would be hacking In sincerity
and friendship II II did not make IL
/ understood. very frankly, that the
I execution Of such a threat would lead
/ TO the graycst consequences.
/ All OF the foregoing communica.
/ tlons may be accepted on the highest
authority AS representing the attl.
tude Of the Carranza government to
day.