Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-03-14
FUNSTON OUTLINES
EXPEDITION PLANS
Necessary to Keep Border Patrolled
in Event of Mexican
Uprising.
TROOPS MUST BE EQUIPPED


SAN ANTONIO, Tex, March Ia
General Frederick Funston today
outlined his plans for the capture,
dead or alive" Of Francisco Villa
and his band OF outlaws.
I'VE do not ourselves know Just
when the expedition will start into
Mexico, although, of course, it will
be soon," he declared.
1T will go forward just as soon
as a sufficient number of men with
an adequate commissary can be or
ganized. 1t will not be held back,
however, until all the troops now or
dered to the border have arrived.
Long and Arduous Task.
There is no use going at this thing
half cooked. The task ahesd Of US viii
be long and arduous one"
IL became known today that tho plans
for the campaign against villa have been
affected by the border situation elsewhere
than at Columbus. N. M. The situation
IL so important as to have hlndered rapid
that will go after the perpetrators OF the
Columbus outrage.
Great excitement has been noted. It In
authoritatlvely stated. in the Carranza
garrIsons at Nogaies, opposite the
Arizona border town of that name. and
at Piedras Nagras. which fronts Eagle
Pass, Tex, from across the Rio Grande.
THIS uneaslness has extended to the
In
can side. Troops now stationed on the
border are sufficient to cope with any
situation that may arise. General Funston
says.
Must he Replaced.
However. MS il Is his intention to use
these troops in the search for VI In and
as they cannot be moved until other do
tachments arrive TO replace them, COM
plete organization of the expe iitionary
military has been held up.
Army circles feel bound 20 respect tire
fear OF residents In American towns that,
Notwithstanding assurances from GEN
eral Carranza's representatives, uprising
may follow the actual occupation q
Mexican territory by American sol lie r.
II ia felt that the welfare OF the border
cannot be sacrificed to the doubtful sue
cess OF hasty and therefore unprepared
pursuit OF the fugitive villa.
General Funston's statement regarding
the uncertainty OF the punitive expedl-
tion's departure was in reply 20 what he
termed the impotence of this American
people for speedy action.
"The people must be patient" he said.
1--WE must be adequately prepared fer
this thing.
In the first place. we must use n
much as possible soldiers who are accus-
toned 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 patrols is
not an easy matter. Many of TIE e
troops consist OF scattered detachments
that have to be concentrated, sometimes
after difficult marches. before they can
be sent southwark.
Concentration and transportation 81
! troops Is not all Of our problem. how
ever. We are going to march into a
country that will afford us little or no
forase. The commissary must be ade
quately surpied.
American Must ne Fed.
"A villa follower can live on little or
nothing. An American soldier must be
we'll fed II he is to sive good service.
I'VE won't gain anything by haste. To
send an adequate force. insufflciently
provisiored. af,er villa. would hinder and
not hasten matters"
Speaking regarding the course the cam
paign will take. General Funston said:
There win be more than one expedi-
tionary force although I am not at lib
erty to say how many. or from what
point or points they win start.
"An this Will be left TO the discretion
OF the expedition commander. who will
have complete charge Of all the forces in
the field.
Il don't believe in swivr choir cam
paigning.
May visit Forces.
Necessarily. the campaign will develop
new situations. and the disposal Of the
troops Is contingent upon these develop
ments. l may at intervals visit the field
forces.
"of course. the expedition will no,
await the arrival at the border OF an the
troops now being dispatched from other
departmental stations. II will be gotten
under way Just as soon as possible. and
} when other troops arrive they win be
E sent forward as reinforcements
ri Paso, naturally. viii be the base
OF supplies for our army. ~ Paso will
be supplied through Fort sam Houston
San Antonio"
The general explained that the First
: aero squadron and eight scouts OF the
J army would not do all the scouting foi
! the expedition.
d We are hiring civilian scouts he said