Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1916 — MEXICANS MASSED AGAINST PERSHING [ARTICLE]

MEXICANS MASSED AGAINST PERSHING

Carranzistas Concentrated Along U. S. Lines. VILLA CHASE AT STANDSTILL Army Officers Fear Attack If American Troops Are Withdrawn From Republic—Soldiers Will Move in Large Numbers. Torreon, Mex., April 21. —Colonel Brown, in La Boquilla, is reported here to be arranging with Gen. Luis Herrera at Parral by telephone for the use of the railroads to facilitate the withdrawal of the American troops. Washington, April 21.—Confirmation of reports that Carranza troops are being mobilized in the path of General Pershings forces was received at both the state and war departments. Mexican troops lately stationed at Chihuahua have been sent to a point south of Pershings most advanced troops. Troops which were withdrawn from Sonora are being held with the apparent purpose of being thrown across the American line somewhere between Casas Grandes and the American frontier, Pershing’s Line Menaced. General Scott s mission to the border for consultation with General Funston is now generally known to have been the result of authentic information that Pershing was menaced from the south and that his line of communication with the north was imperiled. Secret movements of American troops have been made with an eye to this emergency, so that high army officials now confidently state 1 ' General Pershing is in a position to meet the worst A fact to be ascertained by General Scott, the officers state, is whether the movements of the Mexican troops have been dictated by Carranza or whether they have been sponsored by the governor of Chihuahua or various subordinates. Danger in Retreat Fears are openly expressed by army officers that should an order coihe to withdraw the American troops the Villa and other marauding

bands will raise the cry that the Amef l ican troops are in retreat, with the result that the American army will be subject to constant night attacks and • sniping as they retire from Mexico. To prevent such warfare against I his columns. General Pershing is preparing to be in a position to move I his forces in large units. If necessary, he may call upon some of the new troops that General Funston has transferred recently to the army base at Columbus, N. M. The belief is general at Fort Bliss that the United States troops will encounter more difficulties in a withdrawal than they did on their rapid 400-mile drive from Columbus to Parral. To Press Demand. El Paso, Tex,, April 21.—That ths American troops in Mexico will mark time for the next ten days is the view expressed by Mexican officials in Juarez. At the end of that time, they believe, the withdrawal of the United States expedition will be ordered by the Washington governmenL Fear that longer delay by the Amerfcan authorities in reaching a decision will result in increased antagonism on the part of Mexican citizens was openly expressed at General Gavira's headquarters, but it was stated that every precaution was being taken by the Carranza troops to prevent further bloodshed such as occurred at 'arraa. It has become plain that the de facto government s demand for the recall of the American troops was not for "home consumption." The demand will be pressed. Villa in Zacatecas. El Paso, Tex., April 21.—Pancho Villa now is reported to be in the state of Zacatecas, unharmed by either Carranza or American bullets, and is the hero of a large following of bandits, gathered from the Durango mountains to aid him in driving the American soldiers from Mexican soil. This information was secured by agents of the state department. 200 Carranza Troops Killed. El Paso, Tex.. April 21. —Two hundred Carranza troops en route to Torreon from Saltillo were killed yesterday when their train was attacked by Villa bandits of General Canute Reyes' command. The undersea origin of chalk is indicated by the presence of minute sea shells which are revealed by the microscope. The world's product of lead pencils probably amounts to nearly 2,000,000,000 a year, half of which are made from American-grown cedar.