El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-02

is seated and the interviews which fol-
low are serious affairs without a sim
gle smile to leaven the seriousness.
Questions are put with the exactness Of
q diplomatic conference and the an
swers are equally weighty and in
volved.
At Gen. SCOTS car the newspaper
men are received with a cordially
which is typically American, by the
chief of staff and Gen. Funston The
greater part Of the interviewing is done
bv the generals while the newspaper
men listen and edge in an occasional
question which is usually lost in the
general drift Of the conversation and
is seldom answered.
Informal Reception.
Monday evening Gen. Scott and Gem
Funston held one Of their informal re-
ceptions for the newspaper men. The
office compartment Of The private car
"Teche" was so crowded with the call
ers that all Of the chairs were taken.
Gen. Funston shared the divan at one
end OF the car with two correspondents;
one reporter from Boston sat on the
floor and listened. One of the American
newspaper men had just returned from
the front at NamiQuipa and the center
Of interest was in his story of life in
the camp and on the trail in Mexico.
Gen. Scott was particularly interested
in the condition Of the officers and men
at the front He asked how much stock
had been lost on the long marches,
wanted to know about the feed for the
horses and how the men were standing
the life at the front He asked about
Gen. Pershing's health and both Gen.
Scott and Gen. Funston we're as solicit
GUS about the expedition commanders
physical welfare as If he was their
brother
Break Spirit Of Army.
General, if that army is ordered out
of Mexico now, the spirit Of the men
will be forever broken" the corre-
spondent from the front told Gen.
Scott. They are taking this thing to
heart and they viii be heartbroken if
they are ordered to come out now"
Have you sent that TO your paper*"
Gen Scott asked.
No: but I intend to tonight the
newspaper man answered.
The man from the front told Cen
Scott Of the FUN the negroes were caus-
ing at the front He told Of one big
negro trooper of the 10th. who was
guarding a Mexican prisoner captured /
in one of the mountain passes and taken
TO camp. Because the MeXican's feet
were sore, the negro was ordered to |
let him ride his horse and the trooper |
was forced to walk and guard the |
Mexican. AS the negro guarded his |
he talked to him in English, /
none Of which the Mexican understood. |
He asked him what good he was in this |
world and regretted that the Mexican |
had not been left dead in the pass with /
his companions, who had been killed in |
3 skirmish with the American troops.
The captain is not feeling very well I
and I do not know whether you will be /
shot today or in the morning, the ne
gro told the prisoner.
"tAu Won is good fob is to say muy |
frio' and git my blanket at night and |
leave me to shibber in de cold the ne /
gro soldier continued to the Mexican.
Negroes Hungry.
"The negro soldiers. who have been
living off OF the land. have been count |
ing the days that they missed their /
regular ratiOns and have been figur- |
ing that these rations were cumula- !
tive" the correspondent told the Ameri- |
can generals They figured that they /
had missed p days Of square meals and, |
sitting around camp, they talked about /
the feasts they would have when they /
drew the 81 days extra rations. One /
big buck negro with a fine imagination I
pictured what this would mean He /
said 1t would amount TO a horse trough (
full Of bacon, a bathtub full Of coffee, I
steaming hot; corn pOne and sweet pO- |
tatoes by the barrel One negro. who |
was sitting over at one side Of the 1
camp fire eating his evening meal OF 4
Try cOrnmeal, exploded like volcano, }
dry cornmeal over the land
scape as he shouted: For Gawd's sake,
niger, shut up; asnt had squar
neal since we left Huachuca'
No Instructions.
Gen. Funston. at the conference Non
lay evening, announced that they had /
received no additional instructions all I
lay Monday and that they did not know |
What the next development would be.
We received a long message from
" Washington last night, IS you know" /
Zen. Funston said as he blew smoke !
rom his Turkish cigaret. I'VE asked
or additional instructions and these
AVE not come. We have not even re-
eived the message which was carried
n The Herald this afternoon referring
o the Immediate withdrawal of trOoDs
OF being considered as a basis for a
.rU AH