South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-28
DIFFERENCE IN
BORDER GUARDS
MexicanS Keep Dirty Camps
and Waste Powder While
Americans Are Silent.

COLUMBUS. y. NJ. April u.s.
Down n the south gate" on the
road 90 Las Pal0mas. Is an outpost
OF the American army Twelve men
are there under command Of a ser
geaut. and their trim brown tents.
in perfect alignment. show against
the skyline Of the organ mountains
as the teeth OF a saw.
In front Of the tents are two or
derly stacks OF rifles. on To one side
is the cook tent with sanitary
refuse cans and "A clean oven made
OF adobe and rim.
a typical Remington background
is the picket line. some % yards
20 the rear Of the tents where the
horses Of the men lazily kick at
each other and chew their hay
Fifty yards beyond the little
American camp Is a tumbiedo = n.
rickety shack Around il. in non
descript. ragged and in hitting uni
forms. lounge some 40 Mexicans.
one. q little less dirty than the
others. is AN authority.
The contrast between the Amer
lean and Carranza armies is clearly
shown by the two little outpOsts.
On the Mexican side OF the line
there is indiscriminate shooting at
crows, at prairie dogs and even at
Tin cans and punches OF soap weed.
on the American side there is a
grim silence. as if the men in khaki
cherised every shot in their pouches.
ON the Mexican side there is "a
redundance of tequilla. Much of the
shooting may be attributed TO the
repeated drafts Of the Mexican
liquor. Where the American tents
are pitched there is a big water can,
but no evidence Of other liquor.
The sergeant in charge is Of the
new type Of the American army.
ne isn't more than 20 or % tie
is clean shaver and his hair is close
cropped 4 short. bristly. typicaily
Broadway mustache is 10 be noted.
lie has been on the line since 1915,
and has seen much OF the antics
% Mexican armies.
Some day." unused the sergeant.
some OF those crazy Mexicans are
going TO do a little Of their shoot
ing this way. Then maybe we can
use these.
He pointed 10 the stacked rifles
slapped the 40 caliber automatic
pistol at his side. and ran an APP
praisine finger along the edge of a
sharp. shiny bayonet that slid on
oiled catch bolts from it's leather
case.
You know" ne continued some
Of us have been down ere for three
years. Wee been 81 1T at by the
Nexicaus We've had co sit by and
pretend not 10 understand when
they shouted their vile words at Us,
and wound up with the MJertOs a
Los Criucos' death To the Amer
icans). Until the boys under Per
shing went through that gate
10000 strong. We had TO stand for
10. and like IT,
But now things are different We
can go shot for shot With 'em and
don't know but what we'd do a
little better than trading. only now
they don't cuss at us. and they are
mighty careful TO do their SHOOTING
toward the interior of Mexico"
All around the line Of American
canvas are Ii '!e holes in the ground
with the spare earth thrown up or
the south end
"TreDches.' saws tho sergeant in
reply 10 a look of inquiry.
one or them is just back oS the
cook tent u is about a foot deep
SIX or seven feet long. and maybe
two feet wide At the south end i.
a FIRE los, and on each Of the flank
INK sides is another log The coos
showed. just for the fun of il. how
ne could land in his trench by one
flying leap from the back OF the
cook tent
The picture recalls 'hc old Hae
OF Massach,isejts. with ITS motto.
Don't tread on me-"