New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-23
Back from the Dead.

General rancho ' liza - DaNh A4Nii' W"
dead. His bravado incursion into Chlhua-
hua City was the sort of coup de theatre
in which he has always delighted. No
other Mexican soldier of fortune or grad
uate from the profession OF bandltry now
posing as a champion Of what Mr.. wilson
calls the righteous processes of revolution
in Mexico could have conceived or executed
so bold and dramatic stroke 1t was
lust the thing needed to rehabilitate Villa
as guerilla chieftain in the political and
military situation in Northern Mexico.
What a commentary on the futlllty OF
the Administrations Mexican policy since
the attack on Columbus, n. NJ, this spec
tacular Villa raid on Chihuahua furnishes
The Pershing expedition went across the
border with orders-so it was announced
in Washington at the time-to bring back
Villa "aive or dead" Villa was never
overtaken. His hiding place was never
discovered. 1t was reported that he was
seriously wounded and could never take
the field again. Then the news came that
he had died.
The American forces and Carranza s
forces. which were supposed to be hunt
ing him down, dropped the chase and be-
gan watching each others movements with
ANYTHING but friendly interest. Two
clashes soon occurred-one at Parral and
another at Carrizal. The United States
and Mexico were brought to the brink OF
war. Villa and the crime of Columbus
suddenly slipped into the background. The
.nlv avowed purpose of the Pershlng eX-
pedition-to bring back Villa "alive or
lead"-was forgotten. The Administra-
ton now refused to withdraw American
,roops from Mexico, although they had
ceased to hunt for Villa. They were to be
Kept there largely on point of punctilio
because the Carranza government had
demanded their recall.
Yet neither side really wished to appeal
20 arms. After some parleying a joint
commission was created and charged with
an impossible task. II was asked, on the one
hand. 10 save the Administrations face
in withdrawing Pershings troops by deliv-
ering a finding to the effect that Car
ranza's government has now succeeded IN
restoring order in Northern Mexico. On
the other hand it was expected to produce
guarantees-paper ones, at least-ot Sc
curity for our own border populatiovand
for the protection of Americans beyond the
border-yet without unduly abandoning
Mr.. Wilson's fantastic theory that the
Mexicans must be left free to carry
through the processes Of the present revo-
luton. whatever the inconvenience and
ANNOYANCE to US in American property de-
stroved and American lives sacrificed.
But now Villa has come back. He is the
skeleton in the closet at the New London
conference. If he can rush Chihuahua, the
metropolis Of Northern Mexico; capture
arms and ammunition, release prison
ers and march away with part Of the
Carranza soldiery as recruits, how can
it be established-even by paper declara-
tion-that the Carranza government exer-
cises as yet anything but the most nominal
and shadowy authority in the Mexican Dor
der states? If the whole world knows that
Carranza's guarantees Of protection and
arc Ndlut4tSS, INV 10 lhS 4 ANSANN4.'
TO find any justification for withdrawing
the Pershing expedition now, after refus-
ing TO withdraw it three months ago?
In June Villa had disappeared. He was
supposed 70 be dead. The mission of the
Pershing expedition was apparently full
u filed. so far as Villa was concerned. But
today he is campaigning again in the
flesh, defeating Carranzas generals, in
vading Carranza's strongholds gathering
men and munitions for further guerilla
warfare. If he is at large in Chihuahua
able 20 stand off Carranza's troops and &c
make himself once more peril to Americans
still in Mexico and 70 our feebly guarded
border towns, it is just as much the Ad
ministration's mission to-day TO capture
him "alive or dead" as it was in the weeks
following the Columbus massacre.
Villa is still the Nemesis of the Admin.
istration's intervention policy in Mexico
lie was the instrument chosen by Mr.. viii
son and Mr. Bryan 10 overthrow Huerta
and 20 humble the Mexican ruling classes
He was favored, encouraged and fatterec
by Washington until his own vices of char
acter undermined him and Oregon de
feated him in the field. He is the agent
OF revolution Of whom John Lind Is
credited with writing 70 Mr.. Bryan:
"To make dog feel that he really
is cur he must be whipped by an
other dog, and preferably by cur.
Consequently, let this housekeeping
be done by home talent. 1t will be
little rough, and we must see 10 it
that the walls are left intact, but |
should not worry II some Of the We
randas and French windows were de-