New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-14
Will 1t Be Vera Cruz Over Again


between American troopers and civilian
mob in Parral. 1t raises, however, an
issue which could not have been much
longer postponed. The status of the
punitive expedition" undertaken by Gen
cral Pershng has been very confused and
prccarious. General Carranza maintains
that American troops entered Mexico as
the result Of a misunderstanding, and says
that Secretary Lansing and Mr.. Polk both
admitted that our government had mis-
construed the terms of the protocol which
he had suggested as basis for mutual
agreement permitting the armed forces Of
each nation to cross into the territory of
the other in pursuit of bandits and out
Jaws.
The continued presence of American
soldiers on Mexican soil is extremely irri-
tating to Mexican sentiment. The punt
tive expedition was directed 10 90 in
search of Villa on March 10 and has not
vet found him. General Carranza's gov
eminent and Mexicans generally seem 70
take it for granted that our forces will
never find Villa. 1t would probably dis
appoint nobody in Mexico if that notorious
bandit leader and murderer succeeded in
escaping our clutches
General Carranza undoubtedly reflects
Mexican sentiment in wishing TO end our
pursuit of Nilla-a pursuit which has car
ried our expedition far into the interior
and which, if prolonged, is certain to dam
age Carranzas prestige and to lead 10 Sc
rous friction between our troops and his
followers.
The Administration is obliged. therefore,
10 face the question Of continuing to hunt
FOR Villa in spite of Mexican opposition,
or Withdrawing General Pershings col
umns to the border and admitting that
the expedition has been failure. On
March 10. when the President ordered the
troops into Mexico. The Tribune said:
THE country awaits anxiously the out
come of the Chihuahua expedition. Is i'll
20 duplicate in fruitlessness the expedition
10 Vera Cruz? viii our soldiers again
come back mpty-handed, their mission I'M
fulfilled"
THE Globe" among others, criticised
us at the time for asking those questions.
But they we're proper questions to ask and
the Administration is now confronted with
the necessity Of answering them.
There can be no doubt that the Presi-
dent embarked on the punitive enterprise
hastily, without proper thought of the
means with which to carry it through or Of
the political and military complications
TO which it might lead. The army on the
border was not prepared for such task.
1t is not prepared now to maintain itself
in Mexico in the face of native hostility.
The expedition was one Of those i'm
provisations in which Mr.. Wilson delights.
He gambled on two things. One was that
Villa might be quickly caught or betrayed.
The other was that Carranza would toll
crate a situation very annoying to the
representative patriotism Of his country
men on the theory that we should be doing
him very valuable service in Kidding him
Of Villa.
Both these expectations have been frus-
trated. We have not captured Villa, and
we can no longer hope to capture him if
Carranzas tolerance turns into opposi-
ton. The Administrations effort has
broken down and the President is at the
end of his resources so far as concerns
maintaining the present expedition on the
lines on which he had hastily planned it.
II is not necessary to read between the
lines OF General Carranza's protest 70
Washington to see that on the diplomatic
as we'll as on the military side the expedl-
ton was bungled. 1t seems TO be admitted
that very elastic and unwarranted inter
probation was put on the protocol sub
United by Carranza. The latter says that
he was merely suggesting basis for fut-
ure agreements as 10 armed expeditions
across the boundary line. The Admins
tration assumed that he was giving it
free hand TO 20 after Villa, and now, &C
cording TO Carranza, Washington admits
that that was a mistake. The expedition
lacked from the start, therefore, secure
diplomatic status.
On March 10 Secretary Tumulty gave
out this statement, summarizing the aims
Of the expedition: "An adequate force
Will be sent in pursuit Of Villa, with the
single object Of capturing him and putting
IN end TO his forays." But later on, when
the hope of catching Villa was waning. or.
ders TO General Funston we're made public
which were in marked disagreement with
the Tumulty statement.
"These troops I"an adequate force Of
troops for he pursuit Of the Mexican
band that attacked the town Of Column
busl viii be withdrawn 10 American
territory as focn As the dc faoto govern
ment Of Mexico is able 10 relieve them Of
this work. In any event. the work Of
these troops will be regarded rs finished
~ soon az Villas band or bands are