Show t r t r. r 01 I SI I SCORNS CARRANZA iC i t 1 Lt L- L t j PROPOSAL TO ND WAR WARI t f I I MEXICO PLAN 1 10 NAIL TRADE FOR EUROPE SPURNED By International News Service ASHINGTON March 20 The The United States Stales has squarely WASHINGTON although in courteous language rejected the suggestion of General Carranza president-elect president of Mexico that the neutral nations demand that the European war participants shall end the war at once once or if they do not do so that all neutrals shall unite I G off t ff to to them And In making public making public that dec doll n a a letter Jetter to General Carranza Secretary of St State h Lansi Lansing g takes occasion to bitterly y arraign German diplomacy for its abuse of the liberties and privileges freely accorded to them on n American Americ n ns s soil il and under American protection Modification of the thc present methods of commerce by the United States would not be in accordance with the principles of international law la lathe the thc secretary further says Lansing Pays Tribute To Lofty PurPoses 1 Secretary Lansing takes occasion all through the note to pay tribute to the lofty purposes of General Carranza The Thc text of the note sent to General Carranza's foreign minister is as follows Department of State Washington March t 16 G t 1917 Sir Sir I I have to request th that t you will have the kindness to transmit to the president president- president elect lect of the Mexican republic the following follow follow- lug ing reply to the thc communication of February 1 11 1917 addressed I by him to you Ol with instructions to deliver it to the government of I the United States In his note of February 11 1917 the president-elect president proposes proposes proposes pro pro- poses to all the neutral governments that the groups of contending powers in the present European conflicts conflict be invited in common accord and on the Hie basis of absolutely perfect equality on either I side to bring this war var to an end either by their own effort or by availing themselves o of the good offices or friendly mediation of all the countries which would jointly extend that invitation Sympathetic Cons Consideration Given to Proposal If within a reason reasonable time peace could not be restored by I these means the neutral countries would then take lake the thc necessary measures to lo reduce the conflagration to its narrowest limit by refusing any kind of implements to the belligerents and suspending commercial relations with the thc warring arring nations until l the said conflagration conflagration conflagration gration shall have been smothered The liThe government of the he United States Slates has given careful and sympathetic consideration to the proposal of the dc de facto government government govern govern- ment not only because they come from a neighboring republic in whose welfare and friendship United States has has a peculiar and permanent interest but because these proposals proposals' have for their end the thc object for which the president had hoped to attain from his discussion a few months ago of the aims ims of the belligerents and their purposes in the war I I Of the futile futile- results of the presidents president's efforts at that time II I General Carranza is no doubt aware Instead of the conflict being resolved into a discussion of bf terms of peace the struggle both on onland onland onland land and on sea has been renewed with intensified vigor and bitter bitter- ness To such an extent has one group of belligerents carried warfare warfare warfare war war- fare on the high 1 seas involving the destruction of American ships and the lives of American citizens in contra contravention of the pledges heretofore solemnly given the thc government of the United States that it was deemed necessary within the thc past few weeks to sever sc relations with one of the governments of the allied central powers To liTo render the situation still more acute the government of the United States Slates has unearthed a plot laid by the government dominating dominating dominating dom dom- the central powers to embroil not only the government and people of Mexico but al also o the government and people of Japan in inar War ar with the United States At the time this plot was conceived the United States was at p peace ace with the he government and people of the German empire and German officials and German subjects were not only enjoying but abusing the the liberties liberties and privileges freely freely freely free free- ly accorded to them on American soil and under American pro pro- Con Continued ou pa pago go C. C Q O I I I I I U. U S. S IS COLD TO MEXICAN OFFER I Continued from Cram page p 1 In these circumstances all of t which were wore existent when tho note was received ell the government of oC tho the United States finds Itself greatly greatt to its regret and contrary to Its desires In a position which precludes It from participating at the present time in inthe inthe inthe the proposal of General Carranza that tho the neutral governments Jointly extend extend extend ex ex- tend an Invitation to the belligerent countries to lo bring the war to an end either by br their own efforts or by availIng avail avail- In Ing g themselves of the good offices or friendly mediation of or neutral countries coun coun- tries At At the present stage of the European European Euro Euro- struggle the superiority of the entente powers on the seas has prevented prevented prevented pre pre- vented supplies from reaching the central central central cen cen- powers from the western hemisphere hemisphere hemis hemis- phere To such a n. dc degree ree has hns this restriction restriction restriction re re- of maritime commerce extended ex ex- exI extended I tended that all routes between the Americas and the continent of oC Europe I II I 1 are ate either entirely cut off or seriously serious serious- ly Interrupted This condition Is not new In 1915 the central governments complained of ot their inability to obtain obtain ob ob- tain taro arms and ammunition from Crom the United States while these supplies I I were being shipped freely to the ports I of their enemies The discussion of of- the subject culminated in the American Ameri Ameri- can n note te of August 12 1915 a cop copy of which is e X t to the im imperial lm- lm penal and rO royal roval Hungarian Austro-Hungarian I government upholding the contention or of the United Stat D that its inability I it ity to ship munitions o of war to the central powers was as not of its own pan I I desire or making but was due wholly to the naval superiority of the en I tente powers Believing ln that this position position position po po- po- po of the United States Is based upon sound principles of or international I law and is consonant with tho the established established I estah-I I practice of nations the president dent directs me to say sar that he cannot cannot cannot can can- not bring himself to consider such sucha a modification of th these se principles or of this practice as compliance with General Carranza's proposal to sus sins suspend suspend pend commercial relations with tho the warring nations would entail I The Tine president nt regrets therefore that however desirous he may he be ot of II co operating co-operating with General Carranza in finding a solution of the world I 1 problem that Is intruding Itself upon all countries ho Ito is for tho the reasons set forth unable at the present time timo timeto to direct his energies toward the accomplishment accomplishment ac ac- of tho tine lofty purposes oJ of o othe the president-elect president in the time wa way sU suggested suggested sug sug- Jested b by his proposals The Time president president president dent would not be understood however how how- ever as desiring to impede tho the program program program pro pro- gram of oC a movement leading to the resumption of or peaceful relations between between between be be- tween all of the Ute belligerents and would not therefore wish the Mexican Mexican Mexican can government to feel that his Inability inability In In- ability to act in the time present stare stace of affairs should in an any wn way militate a against the attainment of the hl high h ideals of oC Generals Carranza b by the time operation co-operation of or other neutral governments governments governments govern govern- ments in the use of their good offices offices offices of of- and friendly mediation to brin bring about the end of the terrible war which Is being waged between the great powers of Europe I am nm ROBERT LANSING eX X X- Not printed |