Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-21
MANY SCOUTS FOR
PURSUIT OF VILLA
General Pershing Has Plans Laid
to Furnish Army with
Information.
MUST NOT OCCUPY TOWNS


WASHINGTON, March 20.-Villa
fleeing with his outlaw followers be-
fore the advance of the American eX-
peditionary forces in Mexico. has
reached his own country in the
Guerrero district, where high Of
ficials of the army said tonight he
may almost indefinitely evade cap
ture. If the bandit chieftain makes a
stand, Washington is satisfied that
the campaign will quickly end, but
II he leaves his followers, he can,
military authorities agree, reach a
haven of safety in the nearby noun
tains in less than days riding.
In the Guerrero district and in the
country adjacent to Babricore. villa is
at home For years he operated there in
defiance of the law of Mexico and con-
stituted authorities. The n,cGntains to the
west offer countless hiding places and
routes of escape.
How villa Might Escape.
II hard pressed Villa might, officials
believe. abandon his men, don the garb
of a peon and flee so far into the south
that it would be exceedingly difficult II
not impossible to apprehend him.
To meet this situation General Perish
ing, Il was learned tonight. has author
ity TO employ scouts who have lived
their lives in the mountainous district.
These men know these hiding places
and the retreats in which the bandits
are sure to take refuge il hard pressed.
Upon them as final resort will fall the
task of trailing villa to earth. ELABORATE
scouting plans are understood to have
been completed
To Avoid Towns.
The War department, 1t became known
tonight, has Mt the request OF the State
department. sent explicit instructions to
the forces i'm Mexico not to occupy Next
can towns. Such occupation. it is said,
might have the result of stirring up re
sentiment among the Mexicans. However.
General Pershing's ordesr viii not prevent
him from searching a town should he
have reason to believe that villa or any
of his followers were secreted there.
Neither is he prevented from passing
through towns in an emergency although
officials feel sure that such action would
De taken Only WneTo II was neCesSdTg.
Upon no condition, though, will American
troops enter a town and set UP headquar-
tiers there.
Acting Secretary Polk OF the State de-
partment today sent to Elizo Arredondo
ambassad or designate of the de facto
government, a reply to a note delivered
by the latter during a conference at the
State department yesterday. State de-
partment and embassy officials declined
to divulge even the nature of the con-
tents of the communication.
Expect Reply to Request.
reply to the request upon the Car
rama government for permission to ship
supplies to the American troops by rail
from Ell Paso is expected some time, to-
morrow.
Also advices to the State department
today were said to show that conditions
in various sections of Mexico under con-
troll of the de facto government were i'm
proving.
Only one dispatch was given out for
publication by the War department This
was from General Funston and it con-
veyed the information that two troops of
the First cavalry. stationed at Calexico.
on the California-Mexico boundary. were
to remain at their station to protect the
Imperial valley.