MEXICO'S VIEW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11730, 21 June 1916, Page 5

MEXICO'S VIEW.

AMERICAN TRCOPS MUST LEAVE EL PASO, April 29. General Scott and General Funston, representing the United States, and General Obregon and General Trevino, representing Carranza, met in their first formal conference on the Mexican situation this afternoon shortly after five o'clock in the green salon of the Juarez Custom House. Arra-igements for the conference were completed this afternoon following the return by General Obregon and General Trevino and staffs of tho formal calls of General Scott and General Funston and their staffs last night. ' The American General*; wore met at the Mexican end of international Bridge by Carranza's troops as they crossed to the conference. They wero in full uniform, and were accompanied by their aidefe. General Obregon opened the conference by asking if tho 'Unitejl States was prepared to withdraw its troops and asserting that the Mexican Government now has the situation so well in hand that it can well take care of anything that comes up. Ho asserted that there is no longer a, problem even for an army, but that it is a bandit situation, which tho rural police of Mexico can care for. General Obregon added that the Carranza Government had f given the American Army co-operation in every respect in its search for Villa ? and said lie thought the time had arrived when the mission of the Americans had been accomplished pnd the troops should bo withdrawn. He was not threatening in his attitude, but told General Scott very frankly that ho feared the situation could not continue amipablo for anj great length of time, as the Mexican people were growing restless, particularly since the United States had sent additional troops into Mexico in the last few days, and since its officers in Mexico had virtually admitted that their mission in Mexico had been fill filled in the breaking up of the bandii bands. CHANCE TO " MAKE GOOD." Ha pleaded that Mexico be given a chance to "make good" before the ivorld, and said that it was working out its problems rapidly, and would 6oon r» u able to convince its friends that it could govern itself. _ Scott replied that the Carranza Government had been given many months in which to suppress banditry, but' had not succeeded until theUnited States, Army went into Mexico. It had permitted' the Villa bandits to cioss tho American border, though officials had admitted .their knowledge of his'whereabouts as he made his way to the border. After his raid, though m possession of a railroad leading out of Juarez, with admittedly large commands m Juarez and south of there, Scott asserted, the Carranza officials had permitted Villa to escape. He was overtaken and engaged in battle only after the American troops hid entered Mexico artd overtaken him. His bands had been scattered only by the American forces, General Scott contended. Ho plainly told Obregon that the cooperation of the Carranza Governmen •> had not been such as the_ United States bad expected from a friendly Power, and cited tho of tlie Carranza Government to permit tho use of tho Mexican railways to convey food to American troops in Mexico; also tho delay caused \v Carranza officials m the delivery of forage shipped to thu American army by way of Chihuahua city. i Attention was also called to the I arral incident, in which Major Tompkins was attacked' by the civilians ana tho Carranza soldiers of that city. «, ASKED TO AVOID CITIES. 1 General Obregon countered to tho latter objection with the reply that the United States troops had been asked not to enter Mexican towns and asked General Scott what be thought would have beon tho attitude of Americans in a,city 500 miles inland suddenly invaded by armed Mexican soldiers. The Mexican General insisted that the withdrawal of the American soldiers woxild alone placate the Mexican people, and asserted that if by its refusal to withdraw " now that its mission is completed" tho United States would precipitate ia condition that would mar the friendship of the two nations, the responsibility would rest upon the Americans and not tho Mexicans. Admitting, General Obregon said, which he was willing to do, that tho Mexicans were partially, responsible lor the Villa raid because of their failure tr> prevent him escaping over the American border, General Obregon said lie thought Mexico had paid her price unflinchingly by permitting " violation of her soil" by the.American army in its hunt for tho men responsible for tho raid. General Obregon \ appealed to the American sense of justice, he said, to withdraw from Mexico, and asserted tlnat such an act would for ever convince the Mexicans of the friendship of the United States. "You arc a powerful nati6n and our people realiso this," he said. "If you now retire, since t#9 object of your invasion is complete, our people will realise that you are sincere and' that your professed friendship for us ls real." Tho United States wias determined. General Scott told Gon'eral Obregon, that American interests must be protected and that further destruction of American property and killing of Americans in Mexico or damage to American people or property on the border would not be tolerated, and that since its wishes and demands for protection in the past had not been mot it had become necessary for t-his Government to take steps to enforce such protection. ( General Obregon was given to understand that the United States must he fully that the future conduct toward Americans in Mexico and on tho border would be widely different from the past before it could consent to any action that might jeopardise American life and' interests.