Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-15
CARRANZA WILL.
, FIGHT To KEEP
RICHEST STATE
IN HIS DOMAIN
Initial Engagement Is Inter
preted to Mean Civil War
Between Central Govern
ment and Seeding State.
RECRUITS FLOCKING
TO ENLIST IN ARMY
Gen. Gales Is Fortifying the
Frontier and Also the
Mountain Passes in Effort
To Halt Invaders.

eN MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wlREl
Aqua Prieta, Sonora, April IA
'(by the Associated Press. Troops
of the new republic of Sonora have
had their first battle with Carranza
soldiers on the Sonora Sinaloa
boundary, according to a report re-
ceived here late today apparently
verifying an earlier report from
Nogales. Military authorities said
the battle meant war between the
Carranza government and the Sc
ceding state.
No details of the matte were re-
ceived here.
Sonora army officers acting on
orders from Gen. p. Elias Gales,
commander-in-c chief, are fortifying
the Sinaloa- Sonora frontier and
also the mountain passes leading
from Chihuahua. Carranza troops
already are en- route from Casas
Grandes, Chihuahua, toward Aqua
Prieta, it was said.
Gales is said to have dispatched
large force to Blanco pass
through which Carranza soldiers
must come in marching toward
Aqua Prieta, and Gen. ]. M, Pima,
commander of the first division OF
Sonora troops. said it would be i'm
possible for Carranza soldiers TO
break through Bianco pass. To
reach Aqua Prieta, the Carranza
soldiers must march overland 200
miles through mountainous and
desert country.
Saloons ordered Closed.
All saloons were ordered closed
in the state today by General
GALES. He ordered renewed effort
in recruiting soldiers. Four thou
sand recruits had joined the Sonora
army in less than sixty hours, 1t
was announced at military head
quarters here.
All officials of the new republic
here now believe a civil war must
settle the doctrine of states rights
between Sonora and the central
government of Mexico.
The question of states rights
caused Sonora to secede when
state authorities declared President
Carranza had no right to send
troops into Sonora against the
wishes of the states.
Sonora before seeding said
sending of troops into the state
would mean civil war. Immediate
ly after secession last Saturday
steps were taken to repel any Car
rama invasion.
Yauui Indians who have been at
war for months against the Mex
lean government have made peace
with the Sonora authorities, and
between three and four thousand
red warriors will be modified
against Carranza, it was said here
today. The military authorities
here claimed, an army of more
than $4,000 men would be enrolled
within a week.
Sonora Rich State.
When Sonora seeded Carranza
lost one of the greatest revenue
producers, the rich agricultural and
mining district of the state and ad-
jacent territory paying large part
of the Mexican federal revenue.
Through Sonora ports of entry
more customs fees were collected
than on all the boundary points
between the United States and
Mexico.
Sonora, Sinaloa and other west
ern Mexican states. 1t was pointed
out, have not suffered proportion
ately to other parts of Mexico from
the long years of revolution and
banditry in that country and for
that reason Sonora is declared in
better shape to wage war against
the Carranza government than any
other section.
The day before the state seeded
1t seized and started the operation