The Daily Worker

GIL WILL SHOOT
'REBEL' LEADERS,
U. S. TO MIX IN
Mexican Government
Not to Accept Offers
of Escobar to Yield

Bring Back Refugees
Army Left in Desert as
Leader Runs to Safety

NOGALES. Sonora. Mexico, March 19 (UP).-The battle for control of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, important west coast seaport, started today. advices to revolutionary headquarters said.

General Ramon Iturbe. commanding the insurgent forces in the section, said his 10,000 men were opposed only by 2,500 men under General Jaime Carrillo.

The capture of Mazatlan. Mexico's most important port on the Pacific, will be an extremely important step in the revolutionary movement, officials here said.

It will open a direct line to Mexico City through Guadalajara in Jalisco and will permit the rebels. if they so desire, to flank the army of General Plutarco Elias Calles. now advancing against General J. Gonzalo Escobar in the state of Chihuahua.

General Topete, who announced his intentions of leading 2,500 men against Naco, Sonora, today still remained here as did the same 500 red blanketed Mayo Indians intended to act as shock troops.

JUAREZ, Mexico, March 19 (UP) --Advices to rebel headquarters here tonight said a Mexican federal airplane bombed Escalon. state of Chihuahua. this afternoon. Escalon is the new desert stronghold in which General Jose Gonzalo Escobar, leader of the rebellion, has fortified his troops since evacuating Torreon.

The advices said the town's only baker was the only person killed in the bombing.

WASHINGTON. D. C., March 19. Strengthened by the occupation of Torreon last night and the apparent disintegration of the insurgent forces, the Portes Gil government today felt secure enough to reject the insurgent peace overtures alleged to have been made thru the Mexican Consul Liekens E. Calles in El Paso.

"A campaign of extermination" against the insurgents was the reply of General Plutarco Calles, relying on recent successes and the consistent support of the United States government.

Gil Is U. S. Man.

Not only has the United States government supported the Gil government with arms and planes from the beginning of hostilities, but it is unquestionably part of the "campaign of extermination" to have the Americans give up insurgent refugees in the United States to the mercies of the victorious Gil bourgeois government.

This was confirmed today in a Mexico City despatch stating that the federals would attach all funds sent across the border by the insurgents and would immediately take steps to extradite all fugitives.

Insurgent generals in consternation at one another's treachery were today eagerly denying reports that several of them had independently made peace overtures to the federals.

Enrique Santibanez, Mexican consul general at San Antonio, declared however, that generals Gonzalo Escobar and Marcelo Caraveo, governor of Chihuahua had offered to surrender their armies to federal forces.

Santibanez said Mexican consul Liekens of El Paso advised him of the surrender offer, adding that Liekens in turn had been informed by the American consul at Chihuahua City that the two generals had approached the Americans regarding opening capitulation negotiations with President Portes Gil of Mexico

Escobar and Caraveo were represented as ready to listen to any terms Gil cared to offer.

Insurgents Retreat

MEXICO CITY, March 19.-The vanguard of the federal forces entered Torreon at 8:15 last night, Portes Gil announced today.

General Escobar. insurgent leader, is believed to be well on the way to Chihuahua City, tho he has left troops behind, of course, to defend Escalon, a nearly indefensible town

(Continued on Page Three)
A scene of Mexican warfare. A federal ammunition train passing through Aguascalientes route for the Torreon front where the hilly district makes it impracticable for motor transport to work effectively. In a decisive battle in this region the federal forces won.
GIL WILL SHOOT 'REBEL' LEADERS

Army Left in Desert as Leader Runs to Safety

(Continued from Page One)

in the arid north Mexican plateau.

Despatches from General Calles to the federal government state that bombing planes late yesterday sighted a cavalry troop moving towards the federals about 40 miles north of Torreon. It is believed that they intend to surrender.

A troop train is also reported to have been abandoned at Ceballos in Durango.

MEXICO CITY. March 19.-Despatches to the newspaper Excelsior from Guadalajara state that federal soldiers captured the town of Zapotlanejo after a three hour battle yesterday. Forty-two were wounded, three being insurgents.

REVOLUTIONARY HEADQUARTERS, ESCALON, MEXICO, MARCH 19.-(U.P.)--Bulletins received by General Escobar today said rebel troops had defeated federal forces in battles in the states of Navarit and Sinaola.

Revolutionists under General Iturbe won engagements at Rosario and Atotonilco, the bulletins said.

Rosario is an important town a short distance south of Mazatalan.