The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-18

navy JOurns1A-
New York March 1s,-The first
question which soldier must settle
clearly when assigned to 8 duty is,
what is my mission?
When two countries are at war and
an order arrives directing an officer
10 lead his command into the field,
the character of his duty is usually
very clearly defined The duty itself
may be difficult, but the proposition,
find the enemy and destroy him." is
q straight out and out soldiers job.
Go into Mexico and catch Villa is
d much more complex matter
In the first place the countries are
not at war. and our soldiers are ac-
tually sent there on a peace mission.
If Mexico were a nation with a set
tied, law-abiding population and a ca
pable government. there would never
arise the necessity for any neighbor
nation to enter its territory to arrest
criminal Further, if the people of
the country had themselves a respect
for law and order, it would be impos-
sibIe for any criminal to retire and
maintain an army of cutthroats in their
midst
Danger of Treachery.
The soldier in command of United
States troops entering Mexico on this
mission must bear in mind it is evil
dent a large part of the population,
il the northern states. at least. is in
sympathy with Villa and his exploits.
Entering such a region in time of
war, an officers first duty would be
TO deal vigorously and unflinchingly
with treachery wherever it might show
itself.
This expedition avowedly has no
other purpose than to catch and pun
ish Villa Back of the orders to the
army there is no intention to compel
Just and proper respect for Ameri-
70
border
There is 10 intention to allow troops
to remain there until life and property
either native or foreign can be safe
guarded If Villa could be caught in
a day, the duty of our armed forces
would be to turn homeward that same
day.
The fact is that the real enemy OF
the United States, the condition of
lawless anarchy which has prevailed
N Mexico for years, is not to be COM
bated.
Need Diplomacy.
Just one sporadic product of that
diseased condition is to be sought,
found and removed. The expedition
is not to be curative: it is only to play
a police part in carrying out a SEN
tence upon an individual and those
who may be found with him. There
is need for diplomacy as well az good
It would be simple folly to ride into
the Businesses of those Mexican noun
talns and trust the population through
which the columns must pass. Among
them viii be some good people, and
among them will be others who will
leave no effort untried to mislead the
invaders and help the fugitives. Wis
dom will indicate the policy of trust
ing no one from the moment the from
tier is crossed
If honest information is forthcom-
ing, the giver must be hidden most
carefully. for if he is to live in Mexico
afterward, it must never be whispered
he told the gringoes where to seek
Pancho Villa"
The columns will need shrewd and
competent officers in charge of the
intelligence department Much more
agreeable will be the work of the cap
tain in command of a company scout
ing ahead. keenly searching for every
sign of the fugitive bandits along the
trails and near water holes.
It is unfortunate that the trail is a
week old before our cavalry soldiers
start to follow it. There has been
ample time to confuse all physical in
dications of the route taken by Villas
command 1t is so easy to have a con-
siderable force of mounted men ride
of at right angles to the real route
and create not only a false trail but
false news among the inhabitants as
we'll