Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-17
SCOTT REPORTS
RESULTS OF TALK
With OBREGON
Unwritten Understanding Reached
Regarding the Patrol Of
Northern Mexico h
Border.
MExICANs WILL POLICE pARRAL
General 0bregon Also Orders Ten
Thousand Men Under Trevino
Into Big Bend District.
PATROL WORK BY MOTORCYCLES

Washington. May l6.-The net
result OF the military conferences
at III Paso as reported today by
Major General Scott TO Secretary
Baker has been to convince the Car
rama government that the United
States has no other purpose in It's
operations in northern Mexico than
to stamp out brigandage, and as
consequence there exists substan
TALLY an unwriltcn understanding
that the Carranza forces shall en-
deavor 10 demonstrate their ability
10 handle the situation as the neees
sary first step toward withdrawal OF
the American punitive expedition.
General Scott believes General
Obregon is acting in good faith and
that the border situation IS less crit
ical today
To carry out his share OF the plans
General Obregon has agreed TO oc-
cupy and police the Parral district,
securing The mountainous regions
remnants Of Villas followers. He
also agreed 20 establish a strong pa
troll line along the Mexican side Of
the Big Bend country 10 prevent IN
cursions such as that at Glenn
Springs For that purpose General
Obregon has ordered into those re.
glons 10000 troops under General
Ireyino, said ~ be the most efficient
field commander In the Carranza
army. Advices 10 the War and
State departments indicate that the
movements are being carried out
promptly
viii Not Menace Pershing's Rear
Another important element and one
which American army officers re-
garded as most vital 10 General
Pershing's line Of communications
was cleared up by General Obregon's
agreement not 10 bring the large
force. of Carranza troops IN Sonora
thraIgh Pulpit Pass into General
Pcrshing's rear While the War de-
partment is satisfied Of General
pershing's equipment 10 care for his
force in any circumstances the posi-
bility OF large Carranza force being
moved 10 his rear was regarded with
some concern.
On their side General Scott and
General Funston assured General
Obregon that precautions would be
taken by American commanders not
10 dispose their forces SO as 10 EN-
barrass the operations Of the Mex
can troops and also that the border
patrol on the American side would be
strengthened.
Obregon Finally Convinced.
The first obstacle encountered by
the American conferees at II Paso
was the necessity Of convincing Gen
era Obregon that the expedition
after Villa was not an intervention
step.
The size and composition OF the
force aroused alarm among Mexican
officials, and il was pointed out TO
General Scott that II was not custo-
mary for posses IN pursuit OF one
man 10 go with field guns and noun
tain artillery. The American officers
finally succeeded in persuading the
war minister, however, that the
United States government had no in-
tention other than its announced pur-
pose
A new plan for patrolling the Dor
der has been recommended by Gen
eral Funston He proposed corps
OF forty-cight motorcycles. thirty
tandem and eighteen single ma
chimes. Secretary Baker said today
he would probably approve the plan
General Funston will make II Paso
the base of operations for the motor
cycle scouts. Use OF motorcycles
would enable patrols 10 cover terri
tory more quickly and also enable
officers To receive reports more ex-
peditiously
General pcrshing reported that
Julio Acosta, one uf Villas aides. was
killed during the engagement al Oio
Azules May s -.
The eunboat Marietta returned
yesterday TO Iampieo from Tuxpan
lu commander advised the Navy de
partment conditions there we're quiet