Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-05-11
THE GREAT STRUGGLE
AS We VIEW IT

Way from Cruces. CaIranza troops
from the south have already defeat
ed him in a battle that has turned
his forces back where the Ameri-
can column under Colonel Dodd
should soon get in touch, with the
aid of air scouts. Already the
willy bandit has abandoned his
wounded men, who were with him
in the Columbus, n. M, raid. so
that his movements Will not be
hampered by this excess baggage.
| Travelling ON race horses, the Viii
la band, even tho it numbers but
a few hundred, as is claimed, can
cause lot of trouble even if hem
American troops. The are in a
sect on where they know every
water hole, cave, patch of timber
and cache of food and ammunition.
Then there is the attitude of the
Carranza soldiers to determine yet
Tho the weak Mexican government
is apparently giving cooperation at
the present time, it seems grudging
cooperation, and it is certain that
Carlanza will have to follow his
political chances in, order to have
any backing whatever. The Mexican
peon and the Indians look upon thu
United States troops as invaders
and upon Villa as hero, especial
ly when Villa gets them, food and
clothing and gums with which to
shoot. Reports that Villa has been
allowed to pass by Carranza troops
wherever he has been seen may or
may not be true. The fact that a
the foxy bandit chief, dead or "a
live, makes his early demise a Ger
tainty, according 10 those who know
the Mexican characteristics. Yet, it
would probably be diplomacy to let
the Carranza troops get to Villa
first and finish him if possible, as
the minute it is learned that he
has been eXterminated by Americans
TROOPS on Mexican soil, the coun-
try Will be aflame, and getting out
of Mexico without cleaning it up
thoroly will be another story.
GENERAL FUNSTON has asked
the United States Government TO
get the use of the Mexican rail
road from FL Paso south for the
: transportation CT supplies to the q.
S. forces who are seeking Villa.
i, Carranza has been slow to reply
) to this request, asking for further
i information as 20 the use of the
| road, tho as yet he has not asked
) for reciprocal action in case his
men should have to chase bandits
across the line into the United
:, States. 1t is imperative that tie
use. Of the Mex cam railroads he
given the United states if the CAM
paigm fo.l the eNte4 hi. ration OF Viii
la is to be swift and certain. .lh s
would mean that American train
crews would have to man the trains
and g8rlisons would have to be es-
tabl.shed along tile l.ne at several
, points The repair OF the road at
several points would also be necea-
sary, as it has been torn up time
and again. This would mean the
nsc ssi1y fer a s.rong patrol along
the lire from tie border to the
; Mes4dt. ul4tels CT tie inland forces,
2 with SIX cial st.cng guards at
) b. Dig, aid tut ne.s. The fact that
I more regiments ale continually NOV
> ing south to the border and taking
the y ace of others that follow the
trails CT the invading forces makes
it certain that lol and arduous
campa gn, with anything possible Ct
: development in The way of int. :
5 ference fl om organ zed and unor-
ganized forces, is expected.
Two squadlons Of the most up
to-det3 Army trucks have been e
Guippt d and sent south in record
. time, showing that in at least cine
I War necessity this country is as
Q Well prepared as any other to far
nish var material. Cleveland
concern seht twenty-eight trucks
and a Kenosha, Wis, manufactures
twenty seven more. These were as
semblsd, loaded, manned and got
away fer the front inside of forty
eight hours after the orders were
placed by the War Department.
, The half dozen rickety and out-of-
date ae oplanes owned by the Coy
ernmant ale also being supplement-
ed by new and up-todate machines
for scout work in Mexico, as it IS
realized that the capture of Villa
with their aid is almost certain,
while without This kind of eyes