New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-24
Counting Disaster.

Last Saturday The Tribune appealed TO
the Administration in Washington TO rem
force the border army. On that day Cen
eral Pershing's little expedition had pene-
trated only short distance into Mexico
But it was already obvious that with eacn
davis travel toward Villas haunts its posi-
ton must become more difficult and more
precarious.
We pointed out last week that General
Pershing's line of communications, stretch-
ing south from Columbus, y. NJ, across a
desert country, could be maintained only
bv the employment Of a force considerably
larger than the force actually in pursuit
of Villa. This part Of Mexico IS thoroughly
hostile country. It's inhabitants hate ana
despise Americans; they do not even rec
ognize the authority of the Carranza
government, with whose somewhat grudg-
ing sanction the punitive expedition led
bv General Pershing is trcspassing on
Mexican soil.
There was always the risk, as We
showed of collisions with the civil popula-
ton of Western Chihuahua, which would
stir into flame the passions of a jealous
and bigoted patriotism. Chihuahua and
Sonora arc in a condition of anarchy IN a
political as well as in a military sense
They are infested with bandits, unat-
tached either TO Villa or Carranza COM
mands. wasting and plundering on their
own initiative. Moreover, most OF the
organized troops nominally under the
control of the Carranza government were
formerly adherents Of Villa, and they
would be ready TO cooperate with MN
again if they felt that he had Northern
Mexico behind him in opposing what many
hot-headed patriots there regard as an IN
vasion of Mexico by the armed forces oil
the United States. The reported desertion
10 Villa of General Luis Herrera, the
former Carranza Governor of Chihuahua
and commander of the Carranza garrison
in chihuahua City, if true, strikingly con-
firms our forecast of the danger of organ
lied as well as unorganized resistance to
General Pershing's bandit hunt.
There were not enough American troops
on the border last Saturday to secure
beyond peradventure the communlca-
items of the punitive expedition" There
were not enough troops to protect the
American border towns against capture
and sacking in case the Mexican factions
in chihuahua made common cause against
the United States. FL Paso, we said, could
not well have been defended against an
attack from Ciudad Juarcz accompanied
by an uprising of the Mexican element In
the city itself. General Pershing could
not have been expected TO make good ms
retreat if the Carranza guarantees OF
safe passage under which he has been
operating had suddenly become worth
less and the Carranza forces had joined
Villa in enveloping and harassing his
column. In that case, instead of bringing
Villa back dead or alive" the American
troops pursuing Villa would be lucky to
get back themselves dead or alive
We urged the sending of ample rein
forcements to the border. Since then
few driblets have been sent-an under
sized regiment Of cavalry and an under
sized regiment Of infantry. These driblets
cannot make the situation secure. We
have in all about 10000 troops for service
on a boundary line 1900 miles in length.
We have sent 5000 or 5000 Of these
troops on a perilous errand into Chihua-
hua. They are now practically isolated.
We need at least 10000 more troops to
pu. the border into a condition of defence,
TO say nothing Of relieving the endangered
Chihuahua expedition.
There is only one reserve force in sight
70 draw upon, and that is the state militia.
If the state guards are ordered out, they
can patrol the boundary line. protect rail
roads and bridges and do other second line
duty. The full strength Of the mobile
regular army would thus be made avail
able for first line service and the tense
situation on the border would be relieved,
so far as it can be rclcved by the aid Of
the military resources now at the govern
ment's command.
We urged a call on the national guard.
But the Administration has delayed taking
practically the only step which can no" be
taken TO strengthen our feeble border
forces. Should war be made on our eX-
peditionary column the national guard re-
inforcements might now reach the boun-
dairy line too late. Every days delay only
trifcs with the situation. It invites a
needless disaster which could never be
stoned for or explained away.
Merely discussing protocols with the
Carranza government will not help the
imperilled American forces which have
gone into Mexico. They need military
support-suflicient support 70 guarantee
their safe retirement in case Carranza's
guarantees arc cancelled by hostile com
nnanders beyond Carranza's control We
can compel respect for Mexican guar
sntecs only by rushing to the border
.. ,..Lf 10 tpIspavdo.f of