The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-19
FAILURE TO FIGHT
MAY CHANGE PLANS
sav ASresIArrn rRran

SAN ANTONIO, Tex, March 49,
Failure Of Francisco Villa. on whose
trail more than 1000 United States
troops are marching, to make a
stand and tight before the end Of next
week, will radically alter the meth
dds so far employed by the comman-
der of tho punitive expedition.
What General Pershing's plan is,
however has not been revealed, and
will notbe III General Funston can
prevent Every effort will be made
to keep secret the movements of the
troops II 1t becomes necessary to
abandon the direct line OF pursuit
with the units of the little army prac-
tically in contact. While General
Pershing led the expeditionary force
over the boundary line into Mexico,
the juncture OF troops which has TAX
en- place near Casas Grandes was
planned with little expectation that
Villa would be sighted before this
time. II was realized that the only
chance of the Americans to catch
him at that stage of the operations
was that he would gather his forces
and resist their advance. Not only
did he not do that, but according to
General Funston's reports, not shot
was fired at the invaders.
villa Is Retrcating.
General Pershlngs scouts may
have brought him information as to
Villas location but such information
as has been received at the general
Headquarters makes an assertion on
the subject little better than n guess.
There is reason to believe that he has
retreated as the Americans advanced
and that now he Is somewhere in the
Gaelana district. south Of Casas
Grandes, in the environs Of which a
cavalry force under Colonel Dodd
rested today. Information received
by General Funston from chihuahua
indicated that he was at Uolonia Gra-
cias. but most OF those reporting con-
tented themselves by placing him in
the mountains from sixty to ~, miles
south OF Casas Grandes."
To force Villa to fight or to trap
him in one of his many hiding places
now has become the object Of General
PershIng's plan. Whether Villa will
risk a fight or play out the role OF a
common fugitive. is a subject for
speculation.
Tension Is Lowered.
Unofficial reports that General
Pershing did not Insist upon sending
into Casas Grandes the advance cav
airy force after General Gavlra had
intlmated such entry would meet re-
sistance lowered the tension at Gen
cral Funston's headquarters, General
Funston was convinced that General
Pershing would not pass his troops
through any Mexican towns unless he
regarded it as military necessity.
but in case OF such necessity. he was
prepared to endorse the action of the
man on the spot.
General Pershing continued his re-
ports OF routine development of the
plan. none of his reports dealing with
an unexpected or unusual incident.
General Funston replied 10 thous-
ands of petitioners from scores of
towns in Texas where the inhabitants
wanted troops for protection. that II
would be impossible TO grant their
wishes. In all cases he suggested
that If they felt the need of protec-
ton. it might be we'll II they were
Ia organize local defense forces.
To Turn Over Autos.
vo,"hnrs of the local automobile
club called a meeting for next week,
for the purpose OF ascertalning how
many members will promise TO turn
over their automobiles and provide
drivers in case they are desired by
the war department
Unusual activity displayed by the
dcfacto government Of Mexico in add
ing 10 It's stores OF ammunition, Is
shown in the reports from customs Of
flcers at dIcerent border ports Of en-
try. According to these reports and
to information secured by army Of
ficers shipments of rife ammunition
in carload lots by express have been
common in the last three weeks. This
apparent haste was being shown be-
fore Villa raided Columbus. Much of
the new ammunition entered Mt points
on the New Mexico and Arizona bor-
der and was supposed to be intended
for the troops in Sonora. Since the
Columbus raid. 100000 rounds
passed through the customs house al
Laredo.
Far from being a shortage of am.
munition In Mexico army men say
there is more small arms material