The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-03-30
VILLA is PREPARING
TO RESIST AMERICANS

full sign. 1t was like going into In
dian villages where the Inhabitants
regard one with open suspicion, but
are ready to be friendly provided they
think our mission friendly. That, !
think is the attitude Of the people to-
ward us in many Of the places where
Villa hoped for recruits"
Forces Recruits Into Band
For two weeks the reports along
Villas trail show that he has seized
among the young men and boys CT
small towns the hardest as forced
hecruits in his band.
His custom has been either himself
Or through one Of his leutenants D
line up most Of the male population
for inspection. The best physical
specimens have been pulled out of
line and told roughly that they were
honored above the others, because
they would become Villas men.
In the Casas Grandes region at Ga.
lena and at Ell Vale, Villa secured
fully half a hundred men by this me-
thod, more than enough to make up
for the wounded carried from the Co
lumbus fight, The disappearance OF
some of the Carranza garrison at Ma
miquipa, and subsequent reports that
these men had Joined Villa was not
taken at American headquarters as
an indication Of serious trouble.
Personal investigation in the field
! they said, that the constitutionalist
troops are cooperating with good
| will.
Occasional OBJECTIONS OF Mexico
troops in view Of the unsettled poll
tical conditions in this republic have
been expected. There has been no
sign Of a break reported here on the
part Of any Of the constitutionalist
army officers with whom the Ameri.
can forces have been in actual CO.
operation. All Of them appear to be
following orders from General Guti-
rrez, close in on villa from all sides.
1
No Real Test Of Strength
Villa has not, so far as the Amer
lean scouts have learned, faced any
strong constitutionalist force. His
strategy has been to select points in
the constitutionalist lines where only
a small force Or part of force was
available to oppose his quick, charge.
In such fights, according to reliable
reports reaching here, 1t has been a
case of villa coming in one side OF
the town, while the garrison went out
the other. While villa is now more
closely pressed by constitutionalists,
as we'll as Americans. than he has
been for months, there has not yet
been a real test Of strength.
Mexicans who have seen Villas
men in their retreat from the Ameri-
can border say that they are ragged
in the extreme and that their horses
are worn out. The men themselves
rushed into houses in Galena demand
ing food, some OF them shrieking for
1t as II they were nearly crazed with
hunger.
Wherever villa has gone he has
left behind threats, promising that he
will surely return and that when he
reappears he will kill or torture the
Mexicans whom he finds have been
friendly to the Americans or even
those who have worked for Ameri-
cans as employees.
Meanwhile villa has been given Sur
prisingly little time for rest because
of the rapid southwark advance OF
the Americans. Little has been an.
nounced about the work OF the army
organization in pushing south, main
tanning a constantly lengthening line
of communication Already more than
one important base has been estab-
lished along this route OF something
more than 200 miles, New difficulties
OF communication are encountered
constantly. but the fact remains that
the men not only have received their
supplies on time, but that more sup
plies are available each day, not
only in more volume, but in more
variety,