The sun., 1919-07-29
CHARGES CARRANZA
BETRAYED WILSON
Baltimorean Calls Government
in Mexico q "Band of
Outlaws"
SPENT 20 YEARS THERE
House Committee Hears That
Looters and Robbers Can
Foresee End Coming.

oDcCtdt DeSputCN 70 Ihh DUN.
WASHINGTON, July 2s.-The Carranza
Government was characterized as "a
band Of outlaws who have betrayed the
friendship of President Wilson" by
William Gates of Baltimore in testimony
before the House Rules Committee to-day
In its preliminary investigation of the
Mexican situation. Mr.. Gates said he
was a writer and an Archaeological who
had spent twenty years in Mexico trying
to build up a Mexican library.
What sort of a government is there
in Mexico, anyway" Chairman Camp
bell asked.
IF I were to answer that technically
1 would say 1t is not a government, but
band of outlaws who have betrayed
the friendship of President Wilson," re-
piled Mr.. Gates.
You are speaking of the Carranza
Government" Mr.. Campbell asked.
Yes, sir, the Carranza Government"
Mr.. Gates replied. 81 am satisfied that
President Wilson was betrayed by Car
rama just as Carranza has betrayed the
Mexican people. / imagine that Presi-
dent Wilson like many other faithful
men will try to stick to bis friends for
a long time.
1--WE have been running along the
diplomatic track that there was no
Mexico but Carranza except mere
bandits without any political purposes
and that Carranza ought to have our
help to suppress these bandits. There
must have been some private interests
in the background. There always are in
all parties.
Most Bandits Are Carranxa Men.
my judgment after travelling through
the country for twenty years is that
there are few actual bandits apart from
the Carranza soldiers who are allowed
to go out to loot, with perhaps their
officers at the head of them"
Chairman Campbell asked Mr.. Gates
II he could state whether any cases Of
murder or robbery were prosecuted.
81 know of a fey cases in which, after
they had made enough clamor, the man
would be arrested and sent to Jail, but
after a day or two he would be released
on bail and that would be the end OF It,
Some of the most scandalous cases have
been ended in that way. think that II
the bandits should Mapped to offend
somebody high in the Government they
might find themselves in difficulty. but IT.
attacks were made on lives OF citizens
or on personal property with nobody In
Government circles offended / am salts
p1ete.
IT never heard of the courts undertake
ing to prosecute bandits for their muir
ders and outrages What little punish
ment is done is by the military authori-
ties. The elections in Mexico are prac-
tically appointments"
Mexican conditions. according to the
witness, have been steadily becoming
worse for three years." and there is ian
elimination Of all morals in the present
Government"
"If anything, the Carranza Govern
ment has been worse curse to the Mex
leans than anything they have suffered
at the hands of all the foreigners put to-
gether." he added.
Germans Plotted Openly.
Mr.. Gates said several Things indi-
Gated that the CarranZa Government
secretly cooperated with the Germans
during the war and that the information
gathered on this point was placed In the
hands of the army intelligence officers.
'Carranza soldiers wore the Kaiser's
button and the German diplomats re-
cef'ed the greatest consideration. even
hough they carried on the plots from
deNico as a base" Mr.. Gates continued,
The German Ambassador at a dinner
silu ohSo that hli Lollh AiheiiSd inusl
re pegenerated by the Germans before
would be fit for anything. There is
TO doubt that the Germans had a wire
ess hi Mexico. as Secretary Baker once
tated, l believe. 1t was operated
through a relay in Spain. The news OF
man victories was received consider
a-.y IN advance Of ordinary service"
Did you read the Mexican Ambas-
sador's statement Of last Saturday,
which said that Carranza has established
and was maintining an orderly govern
Ient that was fulfilling its obligations
TO foreigners and Mexicans?' Mr.. Camp
bell asked. d. Ia
IT can't sum It up better than to say
that when people have been looting and
robbing and they find their last day Is
coming they are apt to make hay while
the sun Shines"