Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Address of the President to Congress December 7, 1915

File No. 812.00/16041.

The Confidential Agent of the Constitutionalist Government to the President.

Washington, September 6, 1915.

Your Excellency: I have to day addressed his excellency Robert Lansing the following note, which is self-explanatory:

My dear Mr. Lansing: On account of the recent local press dispatches respecting the border disturbances in Texas and in consideration of the fact that the public is given to understand that some of the Constitutionalist soldiers have taken part in such disturbances, I issued a statement to the press yesterday, which they did not publish in full, and copy of which I attach hereto.

In the name of the Carranza Government, which I represent in this country, I must protest before your excellency against the insinuations of the press, which tend to mislead public opinion and embroil the situation, involving the army of Mr. Carranza in the border disturbances in Texas. I most emphatically deny such participation or in fact even any continuation or toleration on our part of any such disagreeable acts. General Nafarrate, chief of the Matamoros garrison, has already offered his cooperation to the Texas authorities to the end of avoiding and suppressing such acts; but our efforts will not be altogether sufficient to quiet such agitation, for the simple reason that the promoters of these disturbances reside in Texas territory.

If the American Government carefully investigates the origin and real nature of these acts, as I have no doubt it is doing, it will be found that the Constitutionalists are not the authors of such stupid acts.

The Constitutionalist Army is devoting all of its energies to the pacification of Mexico and its only task now is to apply the “finishing touches” to the remnants of the Villa faction, in order to consecrate themselves later, as citizens, to assist Mr. Carranza in the reorganization of civil government and the reconstruction of the country; and it is absurd to suppose that in the execution of such a program they would attempt to embroil the country in international complications.

The American press in general and especially that of Washington, has been inventing all kinds of falsehoods and using every possible means to obstruct the work of Mr. Carranza and all those who cooperate with him in the civil strife of Mexico, which first began against oppression and which continues against the old reactionary enemies, often reaching a climax of insults and calumnies; and although this in itself is reproachable and unjust, it leaves room to suppose that it is due to carelessness and little scruples which the American press possesses, to accept and print any sensational news and which in this case usually comes from the enemies of the Constitutionalist Party; and now it is not only condemnable but grave and dangerous that the newspapers should impress upon the public mind the idea that Mr. Carranza or his followers endeavor to create a hostile sentiment towards the American people and bring about a conflict with the United States.

Unfortunately, it is not within our power to stop such work on the part of the press; moreover the difficult situation in which we find ourselves on account of there being no recognized government in Mexico from which may be derived a legal status so as to act in a legal capacity in the prosecution of such attacks, such conditions become more grave when we cannot even secure the impartiality of the press because they will not take our information even when it is official, or even the rectification of false reports in order that the public will be in possession of the true facts and thus form correct opinions.

On account of the foregoing obstacles and in view of the fact that I am unable to remedy such difficulties, in my extremity I find it necessary to direct this letter to your excellency in the hope that it will serve to inform the American Government, in my capacity as Representative of the Government of Mr. Carranza, that the insidious press dispatches referred to, which try to involve the Constitutionalists in the disturbances in Texas, are absolutely false and without any foundation, at the same time assuring you that we are the first to deplore such a state of affairs.

I trust that the wisdom and prudence of the American Government will triumph over the common enemy of our amicable international relations and I hope that the truth will soon be established.

I avail [etc.]

E. Arredondo.

[Subinclosure.]

bulletin.

September 5, 1915.

Commenting on the reports in the press of today that some Carrancista deserters seem to be taking part in recent raids along the border, Mr. Arredondo, Confidential Agent of the Constitutionalist Government in this city, and authorized by it, emphatically denied these reports branding them as pure fakes, but he added that unfortunately the press did not go into the matter deep enough to ascertain the truth and indiscriminately accepted all alarming reports regardless of the source; that the enemies of the Constitutionalist Government and certain Texans, knowing this, availed themselves of the opportunity to put in circulation rumors of a sensational nature, tending always to prejudice the public against Mr. Carranza and his government. Mr. Arredondo said further, that he invited the press to withhold any opinion on the situation for a few days, when, he feels confident, the American Government will have satisfied itself as to the source of the present border disturbances. He also said that it is untrue that General Nafarrete has ten thousand men stretched along the border; he has sent about two thousand men and no more, he added, and in so far as General Trevino is concerned, he yesterday defeated the Villistas at Icamole, near Monterrey, which proves that he is very far from the frontier.

I transmit the present note to Your Excellency in order that it may also come to your knowledge with the least possible delay, and I avail [etc.]

E. Arredondo.