The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-04-27
American Forces Will Not Be
Withdrawn Until Carranza
Proves He Can Handle
Situation.
TO PREVENT BORDER RAIDS
Status Quo to Continue Unless
De Facto Forces Attack Per-
shing-No Intention
to Retire Now.

Washington. April 25.-General Car
| rama has asked for an early reply to
| his note Of April II, suggesting that
the American troops be recalled from
| Mexico This was learned officially to-
J day in connection with the fact that
| Eliseo Arredondo, Mexican ambassador
| designate, sought an interview with
| Secretary Lansing. State department
| officials declined to discuss the mat
| ter.
The Mexican embassy stated that the
request had not been transmitted
through Mr.. Arredondo so far as known
| there. It Is understood to have been
| made directly by General Carranza
| through Special Agent Rodgers at Mex
| leo City. A reply also would be sent
| through Mr.. Rodgers.
Washington, April 24.-Administra-
| ton officials today looked to General
| Funston to carry out plans for redis-
| posing OF the American troops In Mex
| leo. The plans approved by President
| Wilson and Secretary Baker were the
| outgrowth Of conferences between Gen.
| eral Funston and General Scott, CHIEF
| Of staff of the army, who went to San
| Antonio as Secretary Bakers personal
representative.
Though a certain amount Of vague
ness attaches to the program planned
| by the administration for Mexico, 1t Is
given from good authority that this
will be done:
First-The American forces will
| be "redisposed," which means con-
centrated. That is, the more ad-
vanced columns and the troops in
arid and desolate country, will be
| drawn in, so that communications
will be shortened and defense made
more feasible.
Second-Having been concen-
trated, the troops will remain in
Mexico for the present, not ad:
vancing against Villa, and IL will
be put up to Carranza to make
good the assertions Of the defaeto
government that il can cope with
Villa and the ViIIista elements.
Third-Efforts will be made to
avoid friction with the Carranza
troops and automatically to APP
pease Carranza and his leaders
while the troops hold a part OF
their ground and await develop
ments.
Obregon may confer. 1t is officially
admitted such a conference Is under
consideration, and Funston has been
given large latitude in the matter.
Confirm Lopez Capture.
Confirmation of the capture by Car
| rama troops of Pablo Lopez, Villas
chief lieutenant, reached the state de-
| partment today from Consul Letcher at
| Chihuahua. The message said Lopez
was being held in Jail until American
officers or army officers could talk to
him and satisfy themselves of hts
| identity.
Withdrawal OF the advanced forces
| in Mexico, to the Casas Grandes re-
| gion 100 miles south of the border is
regarded by war department officials
| as the possible purpose of rediSposi-
ton Of the troops General Funston has
been authorized to make.
| Secretary Baker made 1t clear today
| that General Funston, had been given
full discretion. and that he was not ad-
| vised specifically for the steps to be
| taken. The greater part of General
| Pershing's force Is now near Casas
| Grandes.
Army officers pointed out that the
retirement suggested would cut the
communication lines to 100 miles from
| the present border base. The shorter
| line could be maintained with ease,
| they said, regardless Of the use of rail-
| roads, Of weather conditions or of the
| attitude of CarranZa military comman-
| ders. The American forces would then
! be able to take care Of themselves,
without undue risk whatever, the de-
velopments in Mexico. They would also
be able to defend border towns
Up to Carranza Now.
| If General FunStonS purpose is 20
establish his advanced lines around
Casas Grandes a strip Of territory 800
miles long would be relinquished, as the
present most advanced American post
is near Parral, 400 miles south Of the
| border 1t is in this territory that Cen
eral CarranZa would be required to
demonstrate his ability to secure COM
| plete control, to stamp out brigandage
and II possible to capture Villa before a
complete withdrawal from Mexico
would be ordered.
| The presence of American troops in
Mexico probably will have a good eff
feet on diplomatic negotiations with
| CarranZa Some officials believe that
| If considerable part Of the territory
now covered by American forces is
| turned back to the de faCto govern
| ment to police the CarranZa forces will
be spurred to greater activity in chas-
| ing the bandits.
Elizeo Arredondo, Carranza's ambas-
sador designate, sought an interview
with Secretary Lansing concerning the
governments plans to permit General
| Funston to redispose his forces.
1t was believed Mr.. Arredondo would
| told that while there was no change in
this governments friendly purposes,
there was also no change in it's deter
mination to see that raids on Ameri-
can border towns by Mexican bandits
be prevented.
LOPEZ MUST DIE.
Ell Paso, Tex, April 24.--Public ex-
| ecution at the Plaza at Chihuahua City
is to end the career OF Pablo Lopez,
| the Villa bandit captured Saturday
near Santa YZabel, according to pas
| sengers arriving here from Chihuahua.
| similar fo will ha Tneted ont n the