WHY AMERICA MOVED.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 79, 6 July 1916, Page 6

W HY AMERICA MOVED.

Writing in the "World Work," George Marvin discusses the reasons why American troops were sent into Mexico. "There was a reason for it, he wrote, "and here it is in General Funston's own telegraphic words:— 'Fort San Houston, Tex., March 10,It is the opinion of Colonels Dodd and Slocum, in which I concur, that unless Villa is relentlessly pursued and, his force scattered, he will continue raids. As troops of the Mexican Government can accomplish nothing, and he can consequently make his preparations I and concentrations without being disturbed, he can strike at any point of the border, we being unable to obtain advance information as to his whereabouts. Even if he should not continue raids, he Iks entered upon a policy of merciless killing of Americans in Mexico. To show the apathy and gross inefficiency of the Mexican Government troops, an American woman was held by Villa for nine days, but who escaped in the Columbus fight, states that during all that, time he was undisturbed at no great. distance from the border collecting a force of 3000 men. The few Mexican Government troops in the region fled, losing all contact with him, and not even informing u s as to his whereabouts. If it is proposed to take the action suggested I recommend no information be given out. If desired, I will personally take command. Ito would be desirable to replace as soon as possible from available cavalry in the United States the cavalry taken from the border. That in a nutshell is. the reason why, after,.3£ years of more or less watchful waiting, we went into Mexico. Tin's single despatch tells the whole story, and it is told by the man who, on March 10, the same day his despatch was received, was given full authority by the President, through the Secretary for War, to enter Mexico when and how he saw fit. . . General Funston, as the man on the spot, was given full authority to take the appropriate military measures towards carrying out his own recommendations.' He was, told that whatever he wanted to carry them out he would have." '# THE COLUMBUS RAID.

The writergoes on to deal with the raid which 1 Villa carried, louti at. Columbus, a small town ofi;botween.i3ooiand 400 inhabitants, on ,the El iPasd and. Sou th-Western; j i Railroad, ji: iln-1: n tMe> early hours, of Mftrch d y a istoong band of Villa's i.men rushed into Columbus. They wrecked .the place from beginning to end, and killed a number of people and American soldiers. Some or the victims met their death by burning in the hotels and other buildings, which the raiders set on fire. There were 3QO cavalry men guarding Columbus, but they Could not stop the Villa rush. It was not till six days after Villa andhis men had retreated from Columbus that General Pershing's force of 4000. men marched into Mexico. Mr Marvin points out border line between America and ! Sle'xico, .1,850 miles in, length, had been patrolled by 19,000 men. These linen could cope withi Villa's raids ff^they'knew where he 1 would make them,|;and they could have, dealt with; hftn if they had had the power to follok-him. into .Mexican-ter-ritory after his raid ff^ V ' always escaped bajtkjj 'njo |l|e||cc|, knowing tljat the troops couldnotlol-,

low. AffEl II fftffc ■ 4 SAN;DIECdRPLAN. [ The writer points out that," after aj .fight at Oje de Agua, where American j cavalry was attacked by Mexicans,', three dead Japanese were found among | the Mexican dead. One of the Japa-) nese had on him papers showing his! connection with the plan of San Diego. "This revolutionary compact is well-| known, all the way from California toj the Gulf," continues Mr Marvin. "It! was drawn up and signed at San ( Diego, Texas, on January 6, 1915, and| Copies of it in Spanish obtained byj United States secret service officials J are in the State Department. The,' document is nominally a secret pledge among negroes, Japanese, and Mexicans to terrorise the border, and it is, effective, only among the illiterate J peonage on both sides of the line. It magnificently cbnteniplates the annexation of New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, co-operation with the Indian tribes, and the massacre of every White North American male more than 16 years of age. .... In the back of General Funston's head -were report's that the I.W.W.had been stirring things up all through this inflammable land, and there were always at least reasonable suspicions, fed by an amateur secret service, and by deserters in search of reward, that German and. Japanese agents had also been working there. whatever. may be his shortcomings, lack of courage is not among the failings of the Mexican. He cannot shoot, but he can die. Once he is really stirred, he will nqver quit, and there are several millions of him to be reckoned with. Intervention implying occupation, and the securing of peace and good order in Mexico, would mean at the lowest estimate 350,000 men."