Imperial Valley press., 1916-03-15

IoI Ho oClef ODJecC Cndn an lmmeQlaCe
raid en- the Villa stronghold.
Carranza is said to have told his
officers that to capture Villa at this
time would be to force the American
government to acknowledge restora-
ton of law and order by the de facto
government in Mexico and he is said
to have sent General Obrego to have
personal direction over the envelopine.
movement.
Ell Paso, March 15.-It is reported
that Carranza has asked the United
States to wait two weeks before en-
tering Mexico, to give his troops an
opportunity to capture Villa. What
reply may have been made to the al
legged proposal is not known, as COM
nlanders on both the American and
Mexican side refuse to make state
ments on the subject.
/ Washington, March 15.-It probably
was not until yesterday, even in Off
cial Washington, that there was
full realization of the absolute help
lesssness of the United States in case
of trouble with foreign foe.
Then it developed that this coun-
try has not more than 10000 troops to
send to the border, of whom not more
than half dare be sent into Mexico.
1t is believed there are now under
arms in Mexico six times as many SOL
ciers as we can send to that coun-
try, and these soldiers are being massed
as rapidly as possible in the path which
the American army would be obliged
to traverse.
Even today there is being unloaded
at Vera Cruz one consignment of
half-million rounds of ammunition.
1t is true that the great Mexican
force is mainly under supposed control
of Carranza, who expresses his anx-
iety to run Villa to the death, and the
movement of his troops is alleged to
be for that end
AS a physical proposition, it must
Re admitted that Carranza is better
equipped to capture and punish Villa
than is President Wilson, and it is not
q surprise to any person in official
life here that Carranza is therefore
jealous of any effort on the part of
the United States to send troops in
pursuit of Villa instead Of entrusting
the task to himself. e
1t is this.slekstioa, taken in connec-
ton with tke general ds1ire to avoid
war and the continued delicacy of our
relationship to other nations, which
has caused official Washington to
pause to catch it's breath before taking
the final plunge into what is believed
to have Ehe making of period of
years Of warfare. -
The president has declared emphati-
cally that that there must not be in
tervention and there must not be war.
There is no question that the sense of
the officials here is that they would
vastly prefer to Rave Villa accom-
plish the task than to undertake it
with the present available force. In
fact, they feel that to send $4,000 men
into Mexico would be to invite disas-
ter.
AS a side effort, there has sudden
ly arisen a demand for quick action
in preparation for war running beyond
any previous agitation on this line.
and several proposals are being made
for emergency action. One of the pro-
posals is that the standing army be
duobled by law, this to be temporary
provision to enable Congress to work
out the details of the new army bill
at convenience.
The president is urging Congress to
take quick action on this subject and
it seems highly probable than even
after all the preparation that has