The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-03-16
MEXICO INVASION
WILL START SOON,
!: :SAYsGEN. FUNSTON
Awaits Arrival of More Troops
on Line.
SEES LONG, HARD FIGHT
Declares That He VIII Not Leave 5or
der Unguarded-Fears Attitude Of
Carranzistas--El Paso viii
Be Supply Base For Army.

San Antonio, Tex, March 1--we
do not ourselves know just when the
expedition that will search for Fran
cisco Villa will start into Mexico, al
though, of course, it will be soon.
1T will go forward just as soon as
a sufficient number of men with an
adequate commissariat can be organ
lied. 1t will not be held back, how
ever. until all the troops now ordered
to the border have arrived"
Funston Reveals Plans.
This was the statement during the
day of Maj. Gen. Frederick Funston
while he was outlining at Fort Sam
Houston, southern department head
quarters, as closely as military ex-
pediency would permit the command
that will be directed against the for
mer executive leader.
He added:
There is no use going at this thing
half cooked. The task ahead of us will
be long and arduous one"
Border Situation Hampers.
1t became known that the plans for
the campaign against Villa have been
affected by ths border situation else
where than at Columbus, N. NJ. The
situation is so important as to have
hindered rapid concentration of the
punitive expedition that will go after
the perpetrator of the Columbus out
rage.
Grpat aXnffnn1nnf hos hnnV pntnH a.
is authoritatively stated, in the Car.
rama garrisons at Nogales, opposite
the Arizona border town Of that name.
and at Piedras Negras, which fronts
Eagle Pass, Tex, from across the Rio
Grande.
All Mexicans Uneasy.
This uneasiness has extended to the
large Mexican population on the Amer
lean side. Troops now stationed on
the border towns are sufficient to cope
with any situation that may arise.
General Funston says. However, as ii
is his intention to use these troops in
the search for Villa, and as they can.
not be moved until other attachments
arrive to succeed them on the border
patrol, complete organization Of the
expeditionary military has been held
up.
Army circles feel bound to respect
the fear of residents in American Dor
der towns that, Notwithstanding assur-
ances from General Carranza's repre-
sentatives, uprisings may follow the
actual occupation Of Mexican territory
by American soldiers.
Won't Sacrifice Americans.
1t is felt that the welfare of the Dor
der cannot be sacrificed to the doubt
full success of a hasty and therefore
unprepared pursuit of the fugitive
Villa. .- ST..
General Funston's statement regard
ing the uncertainty of the punitive ex-
petitions departure from American
soil and his partial outline of the pro-
1ected campaign were in reply to what
he termed the impotence of the Amer
lean people for speedy action.
THE people must be patient" he
said. I'VE must be adequately pre-
pared for this thing.
Await Relief Troops.
{ I'm the first place we must use, as
much as possible, soldiers who are
accustomed to Mexican border duty.
However, these men cannot be re-
moved from their present posts until
they are relieved by troops drawn
from other departments and hurried
to the border.
Transportation of the relief patrols |
is not an easy matter Many Of these |
troops consist of scattered detach- |
ments that have to be concentrated,
after difficult marches, be- |
fore they can be sent southwark.
Concentration and transportation of |
troops is not all of our problem, how
ever. We are going to march into a |
country that will afford us little or no
forage. The commissariat must be
adequately supplied. .....-
Haste to Gain Nothing. /
"A Villa follower can live on little
or nothing. An American soldier must
be well fed If he is to give good sery-
ice. .H...
I'VE won't gain anything by haste.
To send an inadequate force, INSULT
GENTLY prepared, after Villa would him
der and DOT hasteH matters" SflA
Speaking regarding the course the
will take, General Funston
said: ..#I
There will be more than one expe-
dictionary force, although l am not at
liberty to say how many or from what
points they will start. They may take
entries into Mexico, or
they may be sent forward at intervals.
They may all leave from the same
point or they may depart from diner
emit points.
Funston to Be at Front.
"All this will be left to the discre-
lion of the expeditionary commander,
who viii have complete charge of all
he forces in the field don't believe I;
N swivel-chair campaigning. A. X.
49, 4 A Y -