The Washington herald., 1919-12-02
State Department Late Last
Night Had mo Official
Notice About Jenkins
Nor Information on Ru-
NOR Of His Being Free.
ISSUE SQUARELY UP
TO CARRANZA REGIME
Text Of First Note Not Made
Public and Translation of
Same Given Out By Mexi-
can Authorities Miscon-
strued Is Claim.

The State Department yesterday
would not make public the text OF
its first note to Mexico calling for
the immediate release of Jenkins.
Only a paraphrase OF this note was
made public the day after its trans
mission, which was November 90 1t
was explained yesterday. however.
that the first note was not a demand.
although its translation at the bor-
der. when it was given out by Mexi-
can authorities. was such that it was
worded and construed as a demand.
Because OF the gravity OF the situa-
ton. which is slowly approaching a
climax. there was disinclination
among Senators and Representatives
yesterday to comment at length on
Secretary Lansing's note. Practically
all Of them. though. approve the stand
Of the administration.
Secretary Lansing today would not
discuss probabilities hinging upon an
unsatisfactory reply from Carranza.
or his refusal to release Jenkins i'm
mediately.
The Mexican Embassy was silent on
the developments yesterday. and it
was said no news had been received
from Mexico City.
Declaring that the charges against
IN n al
sular agent. under Imprisonment at
Puebla. Mexico. by Mexican authori-
ties to be. ,anhesnded. tkt, State. d.
partment In Its latest note to Car
rama, made public yesterday. renews
its request for the immediate release
Of the American agent
The note was made public yesterday
morning coincident with its receipt at
Mexico City. The department had
not been advised late last night Of
the release of Jenkins. neither did il
possess confirmation of the report
from the border that he had been
freed.
The United States. the note bluntly
states. does not need a defense OF its
original note for the release Of Jen-
kins. and the communication from
CarranZa, which precipitated this
note. is regarded by this government
as merely an expression of opinion
on the part Of the Mexican govern
ment." This refers. of course. to the
charges made against Jenkins, which
Secretary Lansing says are entirely
unsupported by evidence"
Representative Stephen C. Porter.
chairman of the House Foreign At
fairs Committee. called on Secretary
Lansing yesterday and conferred with
him for a half hour.
state Department In Earnest.
The State Department is in earnest
on this matter" said Mr.. FIorter
when his conference was over.
Everything is dependent. of course.
on the next move by Carranza. II
Jenkins is kept in the penitentiary
and the Mexican government is una
Bile to furnish actual proof of the
charges against him. the American
government will stand for no further
evasion in the matter.
Secretary Lansing charges that
there has been a studied attempt on
the part of Mexican authorities to
ensnare the American agent in the
intricacies of legal proceedings by
bringing false charges against him.
He declares this Chicanery to have
been done for a dual purpose-first.
to divert the attention of the Amer
lean public and the American gov
ernment from the fact that Puebla,
the second largest city in all of
Mexico. is without adequate protsc-
tion from bandits: and the second
purpose Ia given. in the following Ian
guage:
1t appears to have been the
purpose of the Mexican government
to assume a n'ilful Indifference to
the feelings of the American people
that have been aroused to the point
of indignation by the exposure. hard
ships and physical suffering endured
by Jenkins during his abduction and
his subsequent treatment at the
hands of the Mexican authorities. d"
"Persecute Jenkins, Snys Lansing.
The Secretary Of State, moreover,
practically says that the persecu-
tion of Jenkins by the authorities
at Puebla i3 in harmony with their
failure to either protect him against
abduction or to apprehend and pun
ish the bandits who kidnepped him
and held him for 100000 pesos ram
som.