Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-08-19

-
9 1913 by American Press Association.
GENERAL v1CToRIANo HuERTA.
general staff of the United States army
has recently revised its plan of attack.
AS late as the mobilization of the ina
neuver division in 1911, in some quar-.
ters the opinion was held that an inva-
| sion from the north was indispensable
though secondary to the main move
ment from Vera Cruz and an advance
from Tampico It is still somewhat
fashionable to seize capitals. though in
the light of recent experiences it does
! not always serve any particular pur-
pose The present plan of the war
department provides for concentra-
ton upon Vera Cruz and the capital
Vera Cruz offers the best opportu-
nifty as base for the main attack
upon Mexico City. The distance to be
traversed is not very greut-294 miles
by the best route There would be no
difficulty landing at that point force
sufficiently large to penetrate to the
capital IN time But there are consid-
eratiOns Of terrain that make opera.
tons from this point difficult. At ia
lapa. but eighty-two miles from the
coast. the country has already risen
to an altitude Of 4.61O feet or nearly
lfty-seven feet to the mile. Beyond
Jalapa and until Puebla is reached the
country is every bit MS difficult
$4,000 Men Needed.
1t Is doubtful whether Mexico City
could be taken via Vera Cruz with less
than l25.O0O men. The only hope of
the officer in charge Of these operations
would lie in the superiority of num-
bers-the possibility that an extended
front. or line Of attack. would develop
weak spots in the defensive tactics of
the Mexicans. Individual courage is
a sadly futile thing in terrain such
as this. and the fortune Of war gen.
orally is with the man behind the
boulder up on the hill It is almost
unnecessary to have seen painting in
fantfymen scale heights to understand
this
Mexico City might be taken via Vera
Cruz in six weeks Il no severe reverses
had been suffered. Seven miles per
day with the country to be carried is
no mean performance.
Needless to say. the railroad to the
capital could not be used by the invad.
ing forces and such Is the territory
which the line traverses that in many
places 1t could be put out Of commits
sion for months. The line between
Mexico City and Vera Cruz is as diff
cult piece Of railroad engineering as
can be found. The same is true Of
most Of the other railroads operating
east and southeast Of the capital. Els.
timating the cost Of military operations
Mt 50 per diem for each man employ
ed. we find that the taking Of the Mex.
lean capital. outside of the mobiliza-
ton expenditure and cost of equip.
ment. would amount to $12.GOO.OO0.
Reverses Possible.
II must bp horne in mind. however.
that the case as here presented does
not discount even single serious re-
verse With the Mexicans hard to dis
lodge. the invading army might find
itself checkmated to such an extent
that weeks would I've consumed In the
CARRYING of points "f strategical I'M
pOrtance II must be remembered here
That the American army would dgrt
uphill from the moment 1t set foot on
Mexican soil and that every military
crest would be Il point Of vantage FOR
the Mexicuns. Most Of the lighting
would occur in the detiles between the
escarpment wallis. With fanatical
Mexican soldiery holding the heights.
this would become bloody work In
Iced.
The diversion movement upon Tam
Dico would have little value. except 1t
sustained un invasion across the lower
courses Of the Rio Grande. Strate-
gi1lly Tampico is hardly on the
map, and the American military sphere
to be established there would extend
to the north rather than to the west
and south The country's topography
determines that
But with Mexico City taken and with
the territory toward the coast cleared
the pacification of Mexico would not
vet have commenced. To all intents
and purposes that part of the republic
is as tranquil today as it ever has
been or probably ever will be.
Capture Of Capital.
! To what extent would the taking OF
the capital influence the Mexicans Is
now the question to be considered. To
be sure. when the Germans had taken
Paris in 1871 the backbone Of all re-