The Washington times., 1920-05-23
Villa Declares He
Protected American
Oil Men in Mexico
the new government.

NEW YORK, May 23.--Jerald Bran
don. who has just returned from an
extended tour of Mexico. has the fol-
lowing exclusive copyrighted univer-
sal Service story in the New York
American:
ON April 10, in his camp at Las
Delicias, 100 miles south Of Chihua-
hua, Francisco villa, the man whom
Pershing. the Kaiser heater. failed
to get, put off a couple hahgings and
ransomings which. he had scheduled
for that day and told how It felt to
be the quarry hunted by 10000 Mexi-
can soldiers and 10000 American
doughboys 'f. .~....r.. .'r
Villa was feeling and looking fine.
He tips the beam a. go pounds. haV-
ing gained forty since his RAID on
Columbus. New Mexico. made him an
international outlaw five years ago.
During that period he has developed
strangely. His association with Cen
eral PHILIPPE Angeles, who was re
Gently executed by Carranza. broad
ened his mind and gave him an ink
ling of the world that lies outside
of the Chihuahua and Durango sierra
which has been the scene OF his
.hegira.
His sense of perspective and OF the
value of his neighbors life and prop
erty>. have. however. been narrowed
by his Ave years abuse of unrc-
strained exercise OF the high justice,
the middle and the low.
U. $. Uniform "UnpIeasnnt."
Villas first words to me after the
traditional embrace with which Next
cans of his class. greet old acquaint-
ances, were:
Next time YOU come to see me do
not wear clothes like those" tRe-
ferring to my o. ID. shirt and riding
breechesD
"They remind me of the time when,
lying in q cave near Neneava, help
less because of bullet wound in my
leg. ] saw column Of American
soldiers pass down the trail 500 feet
away
81 will admit I was worried. for ]
could not have defended myself had
they spotted me. Since then that
uniform gives me an unpleasant feel
ing"
"Does that prejudice extend to all
Americans" 7 fastened to ask.
mo" answered villa. 81 realize
that the people at large cannot be
blamed for the acts Of their govern
ments. There is only one American
whom I hate, and that liz President
Wilson. I do not hate him only for
the wrongs I have suffered at his
hands, but for tho blood of 100. 900 of
my own countrymen who died as
result Of his Mexican policy.
nrs,,If ,T xx,tI.-
II do not presume to dictate what
his policy should have been. | am
only an ignorant laborer, but ] can
not forgive his having turned against
me without warming and having per-
United the passage Nf Carranza troops
through American territory to fight
me at Aqua prieta, after having as.
sured me through his representative,
Carrothers, that he would remain alb
solutely neutral In our quarrel.
with my army I had just ira
versed the Sierra through difficult
passes where food and water were
lacking. We arrived before Aqua
Prieta expecting an easy victory
which would have permitted US to rest
our weary horses and rcfit our scanty
supply Of ammunition. To our sur
prise we met an overwhelming force
OF fresh troops which cut us to pieces
and drove us back over the inter
minable trail through the mountains.
why was. I not told frankly that
Carranza would be recognized?
why did President Wilson array
himself at the side of my enemies?"
Columbus Raid InurcI,"
"If you realize that the American
people was not to blame. why did
you attack Columbus, an American
city, which had nothing to do with
president Wilson's change OF policy?'
asked
II Will talk to you about the Co
lumbus raid" he answered you
are not my Judge. But I wish to say
mat l am ready TO answer TO charges
on this matter before an impartial