Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-01-28 | Page 3 | Declares Villa is in Potential Control in North

DECLARES VILLA IS IN POTENTIAL CONTROL IN NORTH NEW YOKK, Jan. 27. Francisco Villa and his troops are in potential control of northern Mexico, and only await the withdrawal of the American punitive expedition to make that control con-trol an actual one, according to John J. Hawes. Villa's official agent in New York. Basing his assertions upon information informa-tion brought to him here, he says by messengers direct from Villa, who is declared de-clared to be in command of the forces investing Chihuahua, Mr. Hawes asserted as-serted today that twenty Carranza generals gen-erals commanding nearly 15,000 Mexican Mexi-can troops in several Btates adjoining the international border, have made representations rep-resentations to Villa that when the latter gives the word they will turn from Carranza. This word will be given according to Hawes, as soon as General Pershing's troops have returned to United States soil. Hawes said he had been told by the messengers that the defection of the Carranza forces would be accomplished peacefully. There would be little bloodshed, blood-shed, as the troops are secretly favoring favor-ing Villa's revolution. The reason for awaiting the retirement of the Pershing expedition, Hawes asserted, was that Villa's men intended to avoid any clash with the Americans. When the Carranza troops have placed themselves under Villa's command, Hawes said, he was informed by the Villa messengers, an offensive described as a "Mexican spring drive," would be begun immediately against those Carranza Car-ranza forces who remain loyal to the de facto president. According to Hawes, this offensive will be conducted in a manner which will insure protection for American and other foreign interests in Mexico. Permanent Per-manent guards of soldiers will be thrown about foreign-owned oil wells, mines and other property, and every effort ef-fort will be made to co-operate harmoniously har-moniously with Americans, Britons, Germans and other citizens from outside out-side of Mexico. Meanwhile, Hawes said, Villa is undertaking un-dertaking to prove to the American government gov-ernment that he did not lead the Columbus Colum-bus raid which caused the loss of American Amer-ican lives. Between 1500 and 2000 affidavits, affi-davits, of which 90 per cent are signed by Americans residing in Mexico, are being prepared tending to Bhow that Villa was elsewhere on the night of the raid; these, Hawes asserted, would be filed with the state department. The past two weeks, according to Villa 's agents reporting to Hawes, have seen the retreat of Carranza troops from Santa Ysabel, San Andres, Palomas and other Mexican cities and their retirement retire-ment into Chihuahua.