Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-19
De Facto Forces Now In North
ern Mexico Outnumber Amer
leans Under Pershing-
Warns Washington.
NO EFFORT TO GET VILLA
Bandit Always Gets Through
Their Lines-Rumors of An
other Skirmish at Par
rel-Lines Menaced.

San Antonio. Tex. April 17.-Uneasi-
hess was manifested at General funs-
TONS headquarters over General PERISH
ing's unbroken silence concerning the
fight at Parral.
1t became known today that General
Funston directed to General Pershing
last night a communication sharply
urging him to expedite a report.
General Funston received from the
war department a rather long COM
munication, but he refused to discuss
its character. There was reason to be-
lieve the substance of his late reports
to Washington dealt largely with the
positions N activities of CarranZa
troops in northern Mexico, and the
failure of them and other Carranza au-
thorities TO cooperate more effectually
with the Americans.
Army officers here and in Mexico
have resented the repeated statements
that cooperation was being given. when
as they Indignantly assert. continued
refusal to use the railroads and to per-
init the transmission of code mes
sages over land wires has been made.
The number of Carranza troops In
northern and central Mexico. is greater
than that of the United States force In
Mexico, but army officers here pointed
out Villa had no apparent difficulty in
passing through their lines when
pressing Forward By the Americans.
1t is believed that General Funston
also called attention of the war depart
ment to his inability to protect more
adequately the detached forces at the
front without materially weakening the
border patrol or using the railroads for
troop movements.
General Pershing's chief Of staff,
Lieut.. Col. De r. c.. Cabell, Is now al
Casas Grandes, where he went to SUI
pervise the scouting work ordered by
General Funston. to ascertain the
movements of Carranza troops in the
region through which the line Of COM
dictated that Gen. Arnulfo Gomez's
troops are still in the Bavispe valley,
where they We're being provisioned for
field work.
Washington; D.: G. April 17.-state
today refer to unconfirlned reports OF
a second fight with American troops al
Parral.
General Funston today t~elegraphed
the war department that he had no!
heard from General Pershing for three
days. Secretary Baker said that Gem
eral Funston was urging General Per-
shing to rush a report on the PARA!
incident.
Silence Unexplained.
General Funston's message was talk
en- to indicate that the silence of Gem
eral Pershing probably wa Tue to in
ability to get information rather than
to interruption of communication.
General Funston has been in communi-
cation with other authorities in close
touch with the advance expedition, but
had asked General Rershing to report
oftener if possible to keep the war de-
partment advised.
Secretary Baker said he still was
waiting for a report on the conferences
between General Pershing and Gem
erals Herrera and Gutierrez.
State department officials today
We're prepared to set in motion diplo-
matte machinery for a discussion with
General Carranza of his proposal for
the withdrawal of the American troops
from Mexico. While the negotiations
are under way the hunt for Francisco
Villa will continue.
Preparing for War.
While the administration will nego-
tiate with C%arranza in hope Of avoid
ing trouble in Mexico, aeroplanes, mo-
tor trucks and supplies are being
rushed to the border and other pre-
|, cautions taken for serious operations.
Though the president has so far re-
fused to call on the National Guard.
despite the strong sentiment in con-
gress for such action. the war depart
ment had laid all the preliminary
plans.
Eliseo ~Arrendondo, General Carran-
za's ambassador here, said today he
had no further information Of the fight
Ing at Parral nor of reports OF a later
clash.
A battle at Kuernavaca, the Zapata
stronghold. was said to be in sight OF
the fortress.
Carranza Toe Late.
Publication in Mexico City OF the
terms the Carranza government seeks
to impose limiting n reciprocal troop
: movements across the international
boundary shed much light on the dip
lomatic tangle which preceded General
CarranZa's suggestion that the Amer
lean troops be recalled from Mexico.
Secretary Lansing declined to dis
cuss the matter. At the time the de
facto government suggested that no
expeditionary force should exceed 1000
cava.Symen and not cross a deadline,
there were several thousand American
troops of all arms in Mexico and they
were 200 miles or more south Of the
border.
Representative Rodenberg, republi-
can, Of Illinois. today introduced a
resolution prohibiting shipments of
arms and munitions of war into Mexi-
co. It was not discussed and Mr.. Rod
enberg later issued a statement CRITICS.
ing the Wilson administration and say
ing that General Carranza has given
abundant evidence 'of his treacherous
character"