Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-10-26
CONDITIONS IN
MEXICO ASSUME
A new ASPECT
Administration Officials Claim
Differences Will Command
More Attention
COMMISSION CANNOT
NOW SOLVE PROBLEM
DeFacto's Control of Northern
Country Menaced; Troops Will
Not Be Removed

Washington, Oct. 25.-Condtions in
northern Mexico. revolving on the new
ascendency of Villa as a military CON-
mander, are commanding more atten-
ton than at any other time since the
border raids which resulted in the dis
patch OF the American punitive expe.
dition.
Administration officials made no eff.
fort tonight to disguise their opinion
that the Mexican.American commits
sion, sitting at Atlantic City, cannot
be expected to arrive at satisfactory
solution of border problems until the
situation in Chihuahua has been clari.
fed. Any agreement for the early
withdrawal of General Pershing'S
forces from Mexico City apparently is
considered now out of the question,
as it also the removal of the regulars
or national guardsmen, from the bor
der.
Coupled with ugly reports, which
disparage the stability Of General Car
ranza's regime and interpret his re-
moval from Mexico City to QuereterO
as a sign of the breaking up process
which his enemies have repeatedly
predicted, the military movements of
Villa now making formidable cam
paign in Chihuahua, are regarded here
as menacing the de facto's control Of
the whole northern country.
Had Only Small Army.
The Mexican embassy today declar-
ed that Villas forces consisted only
Of few hundred men, claiming Villa
as their leader, and branded reports Of
instability of General Carranza's gov
eminent as "a food of misrepresenta-
tions that might be expected from en-
emies," when the Mexican-America
commission began its work.
At the same time, reports came to
the war department that Villas camp
fires were in sight of Chihuahua City,
and that General Trevino, the Carran-
"a commander there, although plenti-
fully supplied with arms and receiving
reinforcements, was short Of ammuni-
ton and was considering evacuating
the capital.
Report is Unconfirmed.
Department officials said tonight
they had not heard the report reach
ing the border that Chihuahua City
had actually fallen.
Message From General Bell.
The war departments report on
Villas latest coupe came from Briga-
dier General Bell, who transmitted
stories he had obtained from refugees
arriving in Ell Paso. AS he did not
give the names Of his informants.
some state department officials ex-
pressed doubt as to the entire accur-
acy Of the tales. 1t was stated that no
room was left for doubt that the lead
er was operating openly and in force
against the de facto government
army.
General Bells dispatches gave de-
tails of the annihilation of a Carran-
"a column under General Ozuna by
Villa forces at Palomas and described
how the Villa forces captured or killed
more than thousand Carranza troops
and took all the supply trains.
The Mexican embassy's explanation
of General Carranzas move to Quere-
tero was that he had gone to prepare
for the meeting of the constitutional
assembly, for which deputies have
just been elected. The arrival OF the
families of General Carranza and OBJ
regon in the United States was declar-
ed to be without significance.
In military circles here, it is believ-
ed that the presence Of Geenral Per-
shings forces in Mexico has served
to keep this new outbreak at arms
length from the border, and conf
dence is expressed that the bandit
leaders will not risk operations in a
region where they might encounter an
American force.