Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-04-20
FUNSTON REGARDS
CARRANzAT TROOPS
WITH GRAVE FEAR
De Facto Forces Now In North.
ern Mexico Outnumber Amer.
leans Under Pershing-
Warns Washington.
NO EFFORT TO GET VILLA
Bandit Always Gets Through
Their Lines--Rumors Of An
other Skirmish at Par
ral-Lines Menaced.
NO EFFORT TO GET VILLA

tons headquarters over General Perish
ing's unbroien silence concerning the
light at Parral.
1t became known today hat General
Funston directed to General Pershing
last night a communication sharply
urging him to expedite a report.
General Funston received from the
wal department a rather long COM
munication, but he refused to discuss
Its character. There was reason to be-
to Washington dealt largely with h
positions and activities of Carranza
troops in northern Mexico, and the
failure of them and other Carranza au-
thorities to cooperate more e~ffectually
with the Americans.
Army officers here and in Mexico
have resented the repeated statements
that cooperation was being given, when
as they Indignantly assert. continued
refusal to use the railroads and to per-
nit the transmission Of code mes
sages over land wires has been made.
The number of Carranza troops In
northern and central Mexico. Is greater
than that of the United States force In
Mexico, but army officers here pointed
out Villa had no apparent difficulty In
passing through their lines when
pressing orwar by the Americans.
1t is believed that General Funston
also called attention OF the war depart
| ment to his inability TO protect more
adequately the detached forces at the
front without materially weakening the
border patrol or using the railroads for
troop movements.
General Persaing's chief of staff.
Lieut.. Col. De r. c. Cabell. IS now al
Casas Grandes, where he went to SUI
lervise the scouting work ordered by
General Funston. to ascertain the
region through which the line OF COM
municatlons passes. Reports today in
dicated that Gen. Arnulfo Gomez's
troops are still in the Bavispe valley.
where they were being provisioned for
field work.
Washington, D.. G.. April 1T.-State
department dispatches from FL Paso
today refer to unconfirraed reports Of
a second fight with American troops at
Parral.
General Funston today telegraphed
the war department that he had not
heard from General Pershing for three
days. Secretary Baker said hat Cen
eral Funston was urging General Per-
shing to rush a report on the Parral
incident.
Silence Unexplained.
General FuEston's message was taxi
en- to Indicate that the silence Of Gem
eral Pershing probably wa due to in
ability to get information rather than
to interruption of communication.
General Funston has been in commune
cation with other authorities in close
touch with the advance expedition, but
had asked General Pershing to report
oftener if possible to keep the war de-
partment advised.
Secretary Baker said his still was
waiting for a report on the conferences
between General Pershing md Cen
erals Herrera and Gutierrez.
State department officials today
Nr-n,.n -,~~ ~, a1 Tn 80 sH 1t-I-
matte machinery for a discussion with
General CarranZa Of his proposal for
the withdrawal Of the American troops
from Mexico. While the negotiations
are under way the hunt for Francisco
Villa will continue.
Preparing for War.
While the administration will nego-
tiate with Carranza in hope of avoid
ing trouble in Mexico. aeroplanes, mo-
tor trucks and supplies are being
rushed to the border and other pre-
cautions taken for serious operations.
Though the president has so far re-
fused to call on the National Guard.
gress for such action. the war depart
ment had laid all the preliminary
plans.
Icliseo Arrendondo, General Carran-
za's ambassador here, safd today he
had no further information of the fight
ing at Parral nor Of reports Of a later
clash.
A battle at K~uernavaca, the Zapata
stronghold, was said to be in sight of
the fortress.
Carranza Too Late.
Publication in Mexico City Of the
terms the CarranZa government seeks
to impose limiting any reciprocal troop
movements across the International
boundary shed much light on the dip
lomatic tangle which preceded General
CarranZa's suggestion that the Amer
fcan troops be recalled from Mexico.
Secretary Lansing declined to dis
cuss the matter. AT the time the de
facto government suggested thai nc
expeditionary force should exceed 1000
cavalrymen and not cross a deadline,
there were several thousand American
troops of all arms in Mexico and they
were 200 miles or more south Of the
border.
Representative Rodenberg, republi-
can, of Illinois, today introduced a
resolution prohibiting shipments OF
arms and munitions Of war into Mexi-
co. 1t was not discussed and Mr.. Rod
enberg later ssued a statement CRITICS.
Ing the Wilson administration and say
ing that General Carranza has given
abundant evidence "of his treacherous
character"
Following recent discoveries OF de.
posts, an American syndicate ha!
0nanaS a oonoonaoo wilma T., Dana !,