The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-04

1
make Pancho Villa greater
| rs 1t getting too rough for the dane
ing in 'front.'" villa would say IL he
found a man sinking off the firing line,
and there would be so much sarcasm in
the gruff rebuke that the soldier would
almost invariably shoulder his rifle and
get back into the fighting. He wanted
Villa to think we'll OF him.
| Villa talked with his men as he
passed them-often pointing to a loose
ly fastened saddle and suggesting that
the soldier would have to walk II he
made his horse lame: often dsmounting
TO say word or two to a group of
wounded dressing their hurts; many
times stopping to help them bandage
themselves. villa was never conscious
apparently OF the rain of bullets. Once
a shrapnel exploded near him. villa
made side remark that They must
have captured 'Constitutionalist' to do
ttheir aiming for them" and the men
laughed; they were not afraid because
their chief was not afraid.
An officer would report that the Fed
erals had fed from fort. Villa would
remark: Our pills are not healthy"
There would he another laugh and villa
would be Off to some other part OF the
field.
This is the secret Of Villas success
He does not ask his mon to go where
he does not go when his men eat only
tortillas, Villa eats only tortilas. He has
no headquarters mess He suuats when
he is hungry where he sees the most
food, dips 1t out with fingers or spoon.
as his men dip II. and eats with them
He is one Of them.
Villa holds his power because he is
ready instantly to enforce his COM
mands. lie refuses a bodyguard except
| when he sleeps When he travels by
train he rides on top of the box cars or
in them where his men ride. He has
no private cars. When not fighting he
has an office. usually in the fines. build
ing in the city or town. but he Is always
accessible to all his men who have busi-
ness with him.
Villa has created all his officers after
testing them, and no man is too high TO
be dismissed or reduced. II Villas word
Is not sufficient. his revolver Is. Ro-
doifo Flerro was one of his trusted men.
When Fierro killed William Benton.
| after Villa had ordered Ferro 10 take
him to Chihuahua. Fierro was put in
prison at once. and he is still there.
Villas advisers, to cover the crime.
suggested a story of a cour; martial and
Villa consented. and for a time the
world was told that Benton had been
tried for attempting the life Of Villa
and had been executed. Investigation
showed that this was not true. hut L
also showed that villa was against the
courtmartial idea from the first and
only yielded to the advice of those about
him. a thing he seldom does and which
il,
ternational complications that might
have ended Villas career. Villa was for
telling the truth from the first. it H.
declared
Villa dismissed his chief of staff. Juan
y. Medina, when he thought Medina
had misappropriated funds of the rebel
cause. lie dismissed Niscara, his cattle
agent, when he suspected him of the
same offence Both were men high in
his esteem.
So Villa has two characteristics neces-
sary TO a Mexican leader-hc instils
his followers with fear of wrongdoing
and 'disloyalty and he makes them be-
lievc in his sincerity. lie wastes no
time on the mcaningl 'ss embrace OF the
Mexican Of high station. but he acts tho
part Of n real friend on the battlefield
, or off. When his orders are disoheyod
/ ne uptS nor reason Win those AT 1Ault ,
he shoots them or locks them up.
DiaZ ruled with the iron hand hut NJ
went little among the people; he was
always to most of them a man In sta
5 ton above them. And he lost his grip
his subjects had only fear and little Il
, any love for him. Madero neither in
spred nor awed his men. villa does
both He is a 'companero." his men
say-the highest tribute a Mexican can
pay,
/ Villa also practices the age old Mext-
, can principle of paying off his debts
in kind. The man who has been his
| enemy need expect no mercy. MeXi-
, cans look upon this as n showing NJ
strength. They could never understand
why Mndero would pardon n man who
had been his enemy and even permit
him 10 remain in power on protestation
, of loyalty.
No such weakness has ever been
, charged AGAINST Villa. 1t is n clean
, swoop and n clean sweep for him. An
, enemy made prisoner is as good rs
, dead: city or a village captured means
q now administration with berlhs for
/ the faithful In reply 10 a recent petit
. ton in the city Of Chihuahua for N
, election for the municipality, Villa
! scanned the list. read the names Of men
, who either had been inactive or had