Arizona republican., 1916-03-13
Outlines Plan to Take Fran cisco Villa Dead or Alive, And Says 1t Is of No Use to Go at It Half -COcked' or Unprepared
SAYS TASK IS
 ARDUOUS ONE
Border Situation So Pre- carious As to Hinder the Rapid Concentration of Troops for Punitive Ex- petition to Get Villa
Republican A. p. Leased Wire]

Major General Frederick Funston to- day outlined his plans for the capture dead or alive" of F'ranciso Villa and his band of outlaws.
 we do not ourselves know just when the expedition will start in to Mexico, although, of course, it will be soon,' he declared.
 Tt will go forward just as soon as sufficient number of men with an adequate commissary can be or ganiZed It will not be held back. however, until all the troops now or dered to the border have arrived.
 There is no use going at this thing half-cocked. The task ahead of us will be long and arduous one"
 It became known today that the plans for the campaign against Villa have been affected by the border situation elsewhere than at Columbus, N. NJ. The situation is so important as to have hindered rapid concentra- ton of the punitive expedition that will go after the perpetrators of the Columbus outrage.
 Great excitement has been noted. it is authoratively stated. in the Car ranza garrisons at Nosales. opposite the Arizona border town of that name, and at Piedras Negras. which fronts Eagle Pass. Tex. from across the Rio Grande.
 This uneasiness has extended to the large Mexican population on the American side. Troops now stationed on the border are sufficient to cope with any situation that may arise, General Funston says However, as it is his intention to use these troops in the search for Villa and as they cannot be moved until other detach- ments arrive to replace them, com plete organizat ton of the expeditionary military has been held up
 Army circles feel bound to respect the fear of residents in American towns that. notwithstanding assuranc- es from General Carranza's s represen- tatives, uprisings may follow the ac- tual occupation of Mexican territory by American soldiers. It is felt that the welfare of the border cannot be sacrificed to the doubtful success of hasty and, therefore, unprepared pursuit of the fugitive Villa.
 General Funstons statement regard ing the uncertainty of the punitive ex- petitions departure was in reply to what he termed the impatience of the American people for speedy ac- tion.
 The people must be patient" he said. "We must adequately prepare for this thing
 Tn the first place, we must use, as much as possible, soldiers who are accustomed to Mexican border duty. However, these men cannot be removed from their present posts until they are relieved by troops drawn from other departments and hurried to the border
 Transportation of the relief pa trols is not an easy matter. Many uf these troops consist of scattered de- tachments that have to be concen trated, sometimes after difficult march es, before they can be sent south ward
 Concentration and transportation of troops is not all our problem however. We are going to march into q country that will afford us little or no forage. The commissary must be adequately supplied.
 "A Villa follower can live on little or nothing. An Ame-ican soldier must be well fed if he is to give good service.
 We won't gain anything by haste To send an inadequate force. in sufficiently prepared, after Villa would hinder, and not hasten matters" Speaking regarding the course the campaign will take, General Funston said:
 There will be more than one ex- peditionary force, although I an 1 not at liberty to say how many ol from what point or points they vii start.
 ! All this will be left to the dis certion of the expeditionary com. charge of all the forces in the field don't believe in swivel chair cam paigning.
 l Necessarily, the campaign vii
 develop new situations and the dis
 pOsal of the troops is contingen
 upon these developments. I may a
 intervals visit the field forces 'Of course the expedition will no
 await the arrival at the border of al the troops now being dispatched iron other departmental stations It wi
 be gotten under way just as soon a
 possible and as other troops arriv
 they will be sent forward as reinforce
 ments.
 'El Paso naturally will be the bas of supplies for our army. Fl Pas I s~<