Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-05-07
Rebels Rapidly Closing in; An other Report Says Pres
 ident Defiant
COMPROMISE OFFERED.
 REBEL CHIEFS SAY
Shortage of Food Has Reached Seri- Ous Stage in Capital of the Republic, Say Revolt
 Leaders

The republic of Mexico, her pro- gress paralyzed for decade while rival leaders tough an endless battle of rapne, murder and plunder that stifled her growth and deadened her national sense of honor last night was moving rapidly towards another cataclySmic revolt.
 The Sonora rebellion which began two weeks ago and which has grown with the certainty and rapidity of an avalance last night was moving rapidly on Mexico City.
 Contradictory dispataches from Mexico City from points in the inter- for and on the border and from the headquarters of the rival factions were agreed that Carranza must win or lose within the next 24 hours. If he has not already done so.
 While it was reported direct from Mexico City that the Mexican presi- dent had determined to fight to the. last at his own castle, dispactahes to Mexican papers stated that he had already fled and was on his way to Vera Cruz
 Other dispatches told of alleged overtures he had made to rebel lead- CTS offering a compromise, and Washington observers discussing his concentration of troops at Mexico City, expressed the belief that the beleagured president planned to re- move the seata of government. Fl Paso, Tex, May 6-President Carranza was scheduled to leave Mexico City for Vera Cruz some time today, according to telegram received from Nogales, Ariz., tonight by La Patria, Spanish language newspaper published here.
 Mexico City, May 6.--Refusal to abandon the presidency in face of the menace of rebellion featured mani- festo issued yesterday on the occa- sion of the national holiday of Presi- dent Carranza. The president announced that he would fight to finish to put down the rebellion, and that the would not turn over the presidency to anay one except legally elected successor. He enunciated the principle of the elimination for the coup de 'etat from Mexican politics, asserting that the presidency must not be prize for military leaders.
 In the manifesto President Carrarl-s ga declared it would be impossible to hold the presidential election which had been set for July 4. Also he traced the events in Mexico which he charged represented plot by the followers of General Obregon to gain the presidency by means of violence.
 Washington, May 6.--Rebel agents here tonight announced receipt of telegram from Mexico City saying the president of the municipality w1S organizing civilian guard "for the purpose of protecting the city i'm the event of it's evacuation"
 The information. the agents said, z was contsrued by them to mean that Carranza had determined to aban- don the capital, since the organiza- undertaken without his consent and certainly not without his knowledge.
 Fl Paso, Tex, May 6.-Facing fam inc in his capital city, President Ven- ustiano Carranza has sought to ef- feet a compromise with the revolu- tionary forces, according to state@ ments issued today by T. R. BeltrAn, commercial agent for the liberal cOll- stitutional party at Ell Paso. The shortage in necessities h&t reached a serious stage in the capi- tai one of the statements said. "ThesI discomforts being experienced by tho population are so intetnse that III number of labor bodies have ad@ dressed themselves to Carranza asks2 { ing him to take steps to remedy the situation by establishing bakeries where bread may be bought chean.
 "The attitude of the working clasn 1 is threateneing and grave disordefs are expected at any moment" @
 President Carranza was repOrteds as having held conferences @vith Ro-S bles Dominguez, leader of the oppox3 sition in an effort to reconcile ty6s revolutionists. The results of th94 negotiations, however, were nat known here.
 Arrests are the order of the dnyH in Mexico City" Senor Bertrnn1 said. Recently Jose Castileio, eon- gressional deputy, was jailed on sus~ picion of favoring the party of Gen- eral Alvaro Obregon, candidaate for the presidency of the republic. "Castillejo is one of the, many vic- tims of Carranzista tyranny, without regard for their rank or for the dus ties that they are discharging under the constitution" V
 For three days the city of Guad&- lajara, Jalisco, was without electxie- ity and water, as a result of the ae~ tivities of column under Col. Felix Barajas, who has been operating in thata state for some time, Senor Bel l-s tran reported. s
 "The most complete panic seized the authorities of the city, and they lieving that they were threatened hxI superior force" ss