The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-04-07
MEANS A LONG STAY
ARMY OFFICERS BELIEVE JOB IN
MEXICO WILL TAKE CON.
SIDERABLE TIME.
FEAR MEXlCANS MAY FIGHT
Factions May Unite Against Northern
inVader--Pershins's Good Work in
the Philippines-Naval and Congress
sional Circles in Controversy.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-Arm officers here
say there is no blinking the fact that
as the United States government has
been obliged 10 senG an army into
Mexico ii will be forced TO stay there
for long time before il completes its
work. There are some military men
in Washington who declare that the
comparatively small force sent into
Mexico for Furnishing purposes and
with orders to stay there until the Job
Is completed probably will be as long
at the work as would larger force
engaged in a much broader field OF
operations.
OF course as has been said by mill
tary men and laymen scores OF times,
IL a big army eventually goes into Mex
leo il will go because the necessity
seeisrs 10 IbeS SthSt II must hight the fol-
lowers of all factions in the southern
country including the adherents OF
the de facto government under Car
rama. SO if an American army goes
in. that is big army and not merely
punitive force. IL will mean that the
Mexicans, spurred by what they think
ie a pricking of real patriotism, will
have joined together TO fight the north
ern invader
Ii the CarranZa following holds of.
the work % the United Stetes troops
will concern itself only with the bandit
bands, out before these can be round
ed up and the work OF pacihcation
completed IL is held by many Wash
ington officials that long time will
been spent and probably many lives
will have been lost.
Row the Army Views II.
This is the army view of the matter
and it is based on what has happened
I'm Mexico and on this site of the bor-
der in the years that are past. Col.
G.. A. Dodd OF the cavalry is in com
mand OF part OF the troops on the
border. IL Colonel Dodd does not
know how to trail bandits and how TO
fight them probably no man in the
American army does. There are a
good many Office on the retired list
who have been INTO Mexico in pursuit
OF hostile Apaches fnd there are more
of them who have Tough Mexican
bandits in the chaparral and desert
countries along the Rio Grande.
Colonel Dodd when he was a captain
in the Third cavalry was t.. the field
for two years against Mexican bandits
aided by some Texan -Mexicans, who
constantly were raiding back and
forth across the border and who as
rule made the chaparral country
south OF the Nueces river their lurking
places.
II .ook the United States govern
ment nearly two years TO capture
about 300 Mexican and Mexican-Texan
banuits The operations against these
thieves and Gesperadoes began early
in 1892 and lasted until the latter part
OF the year 1898. The reason for the
success OF The outlaws I'm Guiding the
troopers was that the ature OF the
country in WHICH they were commit
ting their depredations was such as TO
make concealment easy ant effective
pursuit almost impossible.
II should be remembered that these
operations largely were conducted on
the American side of the border. At
that time American troops were for
bidden TO cross into Mexico. but no
such inhibition held in regard to the
men whom they were trying to cap
ture. The outlaws went back and
forth at will. II the American troop
L.,
river the chances are that the career
OF the bandits would have been cut
much shorter than was the case.
Chased Indians Into Mexico.
In the early sos and somewhat
later. under an agreement with Mex
ico. American troops were allowed 20
cross into the southern country when
actually in pursuit OF hostile Indians
Some officers now on the active list
OF the United States army took part
In these trailing expeditions into the
mountains OF Mexico and into the
desert regions where the bandits OF
today will betake themselves IL
pressed by American troops.
II took the troopers a long time 20
put an end 10 the Apache raidings
Geronimo md the other Apache chiefs
with their bands considered them
selves virtually safe II they could once
get across the line into the Businesses
OF Mexico. The bandits Of today may
go where the Apaches went and IT is
probable that following them will be
colonels and lieutenant colonels who
as first and second lleutenants fol
lowed the same trails when in pursuit
OF the Apaches
Army officers say that this section
OF Mexico is one OF the worst in the
world in which 90 conduct a campaign
with any hope OF success. The coun-
try is rough and for long stretches IL
IL waterless. One expedition which
went into Mexico in pursuit OF Indians
could not find water for two days snd
the men came near perishing. With
this expedition was sdeut. John ".
Heard. who In now lieutenant colonel
OF cavalry stationed I'm Texas. Heard
onca eaid that tho expoditiou prObably