The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-22
NO LESSENING OF TENSION ON
 BORDER, SAY FL PASO REPORTS
Situation Regarded by Of ficials as Far From Satis- factory-Villa Forces Raid
 Railroad Funston Wanted to Use-Wire Are Cut

| Fl Paso, Tex, March 21.-Folowing hard on the news that the Mexican tele- graph and telephone wires between
 Juarez and Casas Grandes had been cut word came from Columbus tonight in a I dispatch passed by the censor that both ! wireless and ground wire communities | tion with General Pershing had failed. l The army field wire between Columbus and headquarters of the expeditionary
 force was several in B places, it was
 said. The trouble with the wireless oc- cured shortly before o'clock, but It's cause is unknown.
 | General Gavira at Juarez admitted to-
 night that he had failed to restore wire communication with Casas Grandes, and
 it was practically conceded by the Mexi-
 can official that the cutting of the wires
 was the result of raid by Villa forces
 on the railroad. The extent of the raid and the damage done was either unknown or Suppressed.
 t In the absence Of any news from either General Pershing or General Gavira there was nothing but conjecture as to the re-
 suit of the fighting between Villa and
 the Carranza forces said to have occurred near Namiquipa. There was a strong ] belief that Villa was not personally in-
 volved in the battle. It seemed reason
 ably certain that the bandit chief could
 not have been at Namiquipa and at the various places at which he was located
 in advices to General Gavira the last week.
 Il
 If it is true that Villa clashed at
 Namiquipa with Carranza troops In a
 general battle in, which he was defeated,
 it appears highly probably that by this time his followers have come in contact with the American columns. .rne ad- vance guard of the Americans was re-
 ported at El Valle yesterday, only 35 miles 1 from Namiquipa. It is not believed,
 however, that Villa would risk an open | fight with General Pershing's troops. but
 would split his men into smarr partres
 and indulge in his favorite guerrilla tactics.
 NO LESSENING OF TENSION In spite of reassuring reports from |. Washington there was no lessening today in the tension along the border nor no ! weakening in the freely expressed belief 1 that there was serious disaffection among the Carranza troops The proposed pro- tocol between the American government l and Carranza did not alter this opinion. It was declared that the first chiefs $ actions by no means reflected the at- titude or! wishes of all the Mexican peo- pie and that large numbers of the
 troops under his command had been for
 mer adherents of Villa and other fac
 tional chiefs who stiil had strong claims on their sympathles.
 1 Other developments today indicated
 that the American military authorities
 here consider the situation along the
 border as far from satisfactory On the ladvice of Captain Moses. commander of lthe cavalry troop at Febens, 30 miles | east of here, pr. Charles R. Kicker. the
 medical officer with the troop, sent
 his wife and family to Fl Paso They
 were followed by five other American women residents. including the two school teachers, who closed the local l schools Captain Noses said. however ! that he had experienced no trouble and did not anticipate any. He said he had advised the departure of Mrs Kicker and her children simply because he did jnot believe scantily populated points ialong the border were good places for iwonen and children now. | Texas rangers and the cavalry pa
 ScsntinueA ea rass Ninsl