Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-11

Washington, March 10.-AmeEican troops were ordered across the Mexi- can border today by President Wilson to take Francisco Villa and his ban dits dead or alive.
 Under the direction, if not actually the leadership of Major General Funs- rection by taking Aguinaldo single handed, American columns are ex- l pected to be moving into Mexico be- fore tomorrow night. They go to meet about 3.OoO guerilla troops in a mountainous region from which Car ranza troops have fled.
 Whether this long deferred armed action, which begins purely as a pu- | nitive measure to clear northern Mex icO of meracing bandit bands over | which General CarranZa has no con- trOl. shall grow into a general armed | intervention or occupation in Mexico | depends in a large measure upon Gen. eral Carranza and the Mexican peo-
 pie.
 In Aid of carranza Government. It begins with President Wilson's | declaration that 1t is entirely in aid
 of the Carranza government and with 1 out thought of aggression.
 Abandons WatehfuI Waiting. | President Wilson's decision to de-
 part from the policy of watchful waiting. hastened by the Columbus
 massacre yesterday. was announced
 today today after 1t had been unani- mously approved by the cabinet and
 administration leaders in congress. | The presidents position was explain he should rot be embarrassed at this l time by discussions of q minority which might arouse trouble in Mexico Determined to Eliminate Villa.
 After a brief cabinet meeting at l which the president was described as being as determined to eliminate Nil-
 la as he was to eliminate Huerta, Sec
 retary Baker hurried to the war de- partment and his first act in office
 sent orders to the border troops.
 Conference of Army General Staff. Soon afterward the army general staf assembled and conferred over the plans. long drawn and perfected since the Mexican situation loomed up as
 disturber to the peace of the United States. General Funston telesraphcd urging utmost secrecy of the army plans. The border is honeycombed with Mexican spies and it was agreed that the expedition would be pushed
 to success by keeping Villa and his men ignorant of its movements. IL is possible that no correspondents will
 be permitted to accompany the col umns. At any rate a strict censorship
 will be imposed.
 | Garrison's Services Accepted. Former Secretary Garrison. famil- [ far with the army's Mexican plans by l years ago, came to Washington and | offered his services 10 aid htS success sor. They were at once accepted and ! Mir. Garrison went into conference
 with Secretary Baker at the war de-
 partment.
 No Comment From carranza.
 General Carranza in a telegram to #aH ar=~WT | at the Columbus massacre but made no comment on the proposal of send l ing American troops to hunt down the
 bandits. Eliseo Arredondo. his am 1 of the American governments action. | He only replied that he would com l municate with his chief. He has pre-
 viously expressed the personal opinion | that the Govement would not be op- posed.
 State department officials declined | to say what their attitude would be | if General Carranza took 2 hostile po-
 sitiOn. They said the United States
 would settle that question when il | arose. If an offer of cooperation of
 the Carranza troops is made they said
 it could hardly be refused
 5000 carranza Troops Hunting Villa.
 ' Today General Carranza ordered | 5000 troops from various garrisons to
 move upon the Villa forces. The ef- | feet Of their advance probably would | be to keep the Villa bandits near the
 border. but Secretary Lansing an- | nounced during the day that no mat | ter how tar into Mexico 1t was neces- | sary for American forces to penetrate | or to what numbers 1t became neces-
 sary to increase their force. the Unit l ed States would consider the eNpedi- | ton a punitive one. solely for the sup | pression of outlaws. For such an ex- petition there is ample precedent in | international law and in fact. in the
 relations of the United States with | Iexico.
 | To Scout Mountains and Deserts. How many of the 12.00O troops now | on the border will be employed has not | fully been determined. The general | plan will be to distribute the infan-
 try to guard the border towns. while
 the cavalry will be released for SCOUT | ing the mountains deserts. sage brush | and arroyos. In order not to weaken ! the defense of border towns 1t may
 be necessary to move other troops
 from interior posts to the border
 No Call for National Guard. l. No prospects of using the National
 Guard exists in the situation tonight