New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-17

probably be obliged 10 loave the rail
road and strike east in the direction o.
Galeana. about thirty miles. Wills was
last reported gong that way. with the
apparent intention Of continuing south
cast IN The direction Of the State %
Durango. where the mountainous char
acter Of the country and the lsch Of
effective Carrsnzs control make the
conditions ideal FOR prolonged resist
ancc.
Army experts mere allow thirty miles
a day as the normal progress OF the
expedition AZ the star but admit that
u will be retarded as T. gets farther
from it, base.
Consul. Report Improvement.
The Administration continues TO be
treasured by reports from consuls IN
Mexico. The situation Is reported a.
favorable in nearly ali quarters At
Tampico the Nilhstas are said TO be
active. but State Department officials
insist that this activity s not OF recent
date. The rebels. IL is said. Rave been
lcvying tribute on the oil interests
there FOR months
Consul Williams. a Torreon. mas left
his post because OF The unsettled con-
ditions az that point. Torreon is the
old Villa stronghold. and has been
storm centre ever since he was forced
TO evscuate the city.
Administration officials are hopeful
that Carranzs's forces will be the ones
20 take Villa and thereby put an end
70 the American expedition. They hope
that the drive OF General Pershing's
force will stampede the Villa band into
a Carranzista ambush
Should Csrranza succeed in captur-
ing or killing Villa. Administration
leaders say. IL will he a signal victory
FOR him over his critics and will have
a profound effect on the opinion Of
Mexicans as well as Americans. Con-
fdence IN his government would be
strengthened. and other rebe llious e.e-
ments IN Mexico would be discouraged.
The hope, however. hss no real basis.
General Funstor's reports indicate that
the CarrsnZs troops are well meaning,
but Ineffective. Only by great luck.
army officers believe. VIII Villa ever
fall into the hands o. his former chief.
Doubt IS expressed also OF the sue
ccss Of the American expedition. There
IL believed 20 he no serious obstacle 10
Villas retreat and y he succeeds IN
getting into Durango pursuit will be
almost hopeless. The small numbers
Of the American troops available for
service in Mexico make it almost i'm
possible Cor them 20 conduct effective
operations az that distance from the
border. From Columbus 20 Durango
Is more than 400 miles in a direct line.
mostly over very mountainous country.
War Department statements recent
ly have pretended that the purpose Of
the expedition is 30 'disperse' the
Villa band and make no mention OF
capturing General Villa.
No Details OF Movements
Secretary Baker received virtually no
reports from General Funston dealing
with events beyond the border. Late
to-day he said he did not know whether
the troops had proceeded southwark
from their first bivouac OF Mexican
soil last night. Not single dispatch
from the border was made public dur
ing the DAY except one reporting the
death Of Lieutenant Zell. llth Cavalry,
at the Columbus Hospital, where he
took his own life in q a. Of despon-
dency.
Army officials were convinced that no
important Developments were 10 be ex-
pected for several days. II seemed
plain from the days accumulation Of
rumors that Villa was FAR TO the south
Of his American pursuers.
The War Department would not d.
vulge any details Of the numbers OF
troops across the border or Of the
regiments sent Press sdvices, how
ever. showed that infantry accompanied
the cavalry and artillery out Of Column
bus in the main column. That means
low progress across the desert. II
will take days. Il IS said, 20 cover the
distance 20 Galens, the last town where
Villa was reported unoficislly to have
teen seen.
10 reply has yet come from General
Carranza 20 he American note an