The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-20
General Pershing Will Rad
ically Alter His Meth
DDS of Pursuit
BANDIT CHIEF
CONTINUES RETREAT
AS Fast as Americans Ad-
vance-Munitions for the
De Facto Government

Washington, March 20.-Failure o.
Francisco villa, on whose trail more thar
400 United States troops are marching
TO make stand and fight before the enc
of this week will radically alter tn,
methods so far employed by the com
mander of the punitive expedition. What
Gen. Pershing's plan is. however, has not
been revealed and will not be ii Gen
| Funston can prevent it. Every effort
will be made to keep secret the move
ments of troops if it becomes necessary
TO abandon the direct line of pursuit with
the units of the little army virtually in
contact
While Gen. Pershng led the expedi-
| ton force over the boundary line into
| Mexico, the juncttIre of troops which has
taken place near Casas Grandes was
planned with little expectation that villa
would be sighted before this time. II
was realized that the only chance of the
Americans to catch him at that stage of
the operations was that he would gather
his forces and resist their advance. Not
only did he not do that, but, according
to Gen. Funston's report, not shot was
fired at the invaders.
Gen. pershing's scouts may have
brought him information as to Villas
location, but such information as has
been received at the general headquar-
tiers at San Antonio, Tex. makes an as
sertion on the subject little better than
a guess. There is reason to believe that
he has retreated as the Americans adj
vanced, and that now he is somewhere
in the Galeana district south of Casas
Grandes, in the environs of which cav
airy force under Col. Dodd rested Satur-
day Information received by Gen. Fun
ston from Chihuahua indicated that he
was at Colonia Gracias, but most of those
reporting contented themselves by plac-
ing him "in the mountains from 60 to
100 miles south of Casas Grandes."
To force Villa to fight or to trap him
in one of his many hiding places now
has become the object of Gen. Pershing's
plans. Whether Villa win risk fight
or play out the role Of common fugi-
tive is subject for speculation.
Unofficial reports that Gen. Pershing
did not insist upon sending into Casas
Grandes the advance cavalry force after
Gen. Gavira had intimated such entry
would meet resistance, lowered the ten
sion at Gen. Funston's headquarters. Gen.
Funston was convinced that Gen. Perish
ing would not pass his troops through
any Mexican town unless he regarded |
it a military necessity, but in case of |
such necessity, he was prepared to in
iorse the action of the man on the spot. |
Cen Pershing continued his reports !
Of routine development of the plan, none |
Of his reports dealing with any unexpect-
I'd or unusual incident,
Gen. Funston replied to thousands of |
from scores of towns in Tex
Is where the inhabitants wanted troops /
or protection that it would be impossi
DE to grant their wishes. In all cases
le suggested that if they felt the need
If protection, it might be well if they
we're to organize local defense forces.
Members of the San Antonio automo-
,iie club have called meeting for this
week for the purpose of ascertaning how
many members will promise to turn over
heir automobiles and provide drivers in
ase they are desired by the war depart
nent.
Unusual activity displayed by the de
acto government of Mexico in adding
o its stores of ammunition is shown in
eports from customs officers at different
order ports of entry. According to these
eports and to information secured by
rmy officers, shipments of rife ammun
ion in carload lots by express have be-
ONE common in the past three weeks.
his apparent haste was being shown
efore Villa raided Columbus. Much of
he new ammunition entered at points on
he New Mexico and Arizona border and
las supposed to be intended for the
roops in Sonora. Since the Columbus
aid, three million rounds passed through
he customs house at Laredo. Army men
ay there is more small arms material in I
Iexico now than there has been for
lany years.