The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-29
ID BE INDEPENDENT
 OF THE RAILROADS Pershing Will Depend En- tirely on Motor Trucks ARE ASSEMBLING CARS Juarez Practically Evacuated for the Second Time Within a Week.
 Consul Garcia Explains Why
 He Fled from Ell Paso
ARE ASSEMBLING CARS

Fl Paso, June 2S.-Coincident with re-
 ports that Carranza forces have been con-
 centrated with view to holding the rail-
 roads of Chihuahua in the event of hos tilities with the United States, American
 military authorities here were taking steps today that would make them prac- tically independent of railroads for the transportation of troops and supplies. Twenty-seven armed motor trucks with fuel tank cars and repair trucks arrived today and were assigned to the local bri- gade, while at the offices of the depot quartermaster it was announced that two | additional truck trains are expected. l Steps have been taken also looking 1 toward the communicating of such trucks | as are available in Fl Paso.
 | Reports to military authorities indi-
 cate that General Pershing is retaining
 at each of his field bases a number of
 empty trucks for the rapid transporta-
 ton of troops and supplies across coun- try. Only a few of the trucks with the
 expeditionary forces are being used to transport supplies. From Columbus huge quantities of supplies at Dublan.
 ment have been concentrated at Dublan
 Fl Valle and other American bases. CAN BE USED ON TRACKS 1 Many of the trucks in use here and in
 the field are equipped with a. device by
 motives on railroads and in the event of
 a break in the line, can be detoured
 over the highways.
 l For the second time within a weak
 Juarez, the Mexican town across the Rio l Grande was practically evacuated bJ | Carranzista troops only General Frau cisco Gonzales commandant and 2 small body guard remaining in the city. Military authorities tonight pointed out | that in the event of hostilities General Trevino's preparations to hold the rail- roads would avail little, as the efficacy | of the motor truck in the Mexican ter r1tory has been demonstrated repeatedly. It was asserted that about 1000 men, in- cluding the command of General Jose | Flores left Huarez in the last 24 hours for Villa Ahumada, from which place they are to be distributed to the various Carranzista concentration camps. Civilians, many of them in new Ameri- can clothing, indicating that they had crossed the border at Carranzas S recent call, mounted guard at the Comman- dancia, the customs house and the in- ternstional bridges. Also doing sentry duty were numbers of peons, fresh from | the ranches, their Tapping sombreros and | sandaled feet being in striking contrast in arms.
 GARCIA EXPLAINS Anres Garcia, Mexican consul to Fl Paso, tonight issued a statement in
 which he explained that his reason for
 remaining in Juarez during the crisis was to remove every possible chance of friction. He admitted, however, that he felt safer in the Mexican town. General Bel,'' he said, has offered to put a guard about my house in Fl Paso, and I have full confidence in the American authorities, but since I was routed out of bed and insulted in my own house not long ago by squad of
 police at one o'clock in the morning I
 have feared that my presence in Fl Paso might start trouble. Every effort of mine is bent on removing causes of friction at this point with view to easing ne- gotiatons between the first chief and the White House.
 "All the good people of both countries ought to get together and work for peace for this war. if it comes, will be hell on earth while it lasts" said Consul Gar cia, and he added: Ut will last a long time WAR OF EXTERMINA ATION 'The United States will have to face united people. and people determined to fight to the last ditch,'' he continued Besides we have more than 100000 veterans, trained to a style of warfare that makes the best use of our peculiar natural conditions. The Americans will encounter heavy losses in exterminating the Mexican people-for that is what the war would be.
 War will mean a terrific destruction of property in Mexico, as we realize. The estates of the wealthy reactionaries who are responsible for the present em- broilment will be turned into deserts
 Every means ought to be taken by both sides to avoid this threatened de- struction of life and property"
 Consul Garcia said he had stayed in Juarez during the trouble to keep peace there, and could say that not single American had been molested on that side. He also denied reports that Amer jeans had been placed in jail
 Two negro deserters from General Per shing's command had appealed to the authorities at Guzman, the consul stated. They said six other men had escaped with them The men were not arrested and struck out across country, from the information received here.
 Reports from the field indicate thav small columns of Carranzistas are ap- bearing to the south of General Per i shing's line, occupying communities evac- | uated by the Americans. However, in | Mexican circles, it is explained that some of these troops are recruiting detach- 1 ments American reports indicate that at no point are they sufficiently close to Pershing's lines to cause alarm