New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
MEXCO'S MILITARY RESOURCES
A Texan Subjects Them Damaging CricisnNo Large American
Army Ia Needed TO Restore Order Subjugate the
Disorganzed Lawless Elements.


railroads in Mexico are operated BY American
engineers and conductors.
The only articles they export from Mexico
are cigars silver. lead, cattle. hides, sheep
WOOL coffee and tropical fruits. They are de-
pendent upon the outside world for every
manufactured article. Even the gunners for
thei- few machine guns iu the present strug-
gle have been American and English. All the
avators they have hired there have been
Americans and Canadians
T. the United States were 70 stop the inn
portation Of arms and ammunition the war
or shooting, in Mexico could not last a month.
Then, Why should it require 500 900 American
soldiers 70 subdue tic MOB Of poems there?
Colonel Doniphan left Santa Fe in October
1916. with 600 Missouri volunteers 20 cap:-
ure all Northern Mexico. He marched TO A.
buquerquc. Their south to me Navajo coun-
try whore ne whipped those Indians and made
treaty with them. He then marched down
the Rio Grande TO Las Cruces. where he met
the first Mexican army. They outnumbered
him four 70 one. but he routed and stampeded
them at Brazite on Deem Der % and proceeded
on 20 Fl Paso. lie LETT FL Paso and marched
foi Chihuahua The first hundred miles is a
sandy waste. with almost no water. But just
twenty days after leaving I'll Paso he came in
sight of Chihuahua, 25S miles. and the Next
can army Of 1920 infantry and 1900 cavalry
and artillery, commanded by General Condo
former Minister OF War.
This battle lasted barely one hour. The
1000 Missouri volunteers routed the Mexican
army. killed over 500 and chased the rest
across the Concho River, 100 miles south OF
Chihuahua. The big feast and barbecue pre-
pared for the Mexican army furnished the
first full feed the Missouri men had had since
they left Santa Fe Colonel Doniphan went
on TO New Orleans and disbanded, having
marched over $500 miles and fought many
battles. He lost less than 100 men from his
original force of 1000
If 1000 men, armed only with muzzle-load
ers could accomplish this task in 1851, why
should it take 100000 men now. armed with
our modern guns? Mexico was in far better
shape to fight in 1916 than she is to-day.
1t is not an army of trained men we need
10 conquer Mexico. Il is a few thousand
we'll armed men. who can ride. trail and
shoot. assisted by few aeroplanes and OBJ
servers. But do need a few trained men
20 police the towns. 20 clean them up. pre-
serve order ana encourage industry. The
great bulk Of Mexicans are eager 20 have
some one come in and restore order. Only
the shiftless and vengeful wish this turmoil
70 continue. Those who persevere should be
hunted down 70 their LARS and shot. just as
We would do with outlaws in this country.
Carranza IS rico" lie has announced
that ne will not favor dividing up the public
lands for the poems He has no authority
and can never quiet Mexico nor make II safe.
At this present time of writing 1t is reported
that Felix Diaz has started a new revolution.
IN all probability Pancho Villa will join with
him All yagabonds who have no properly
20 lose. but have the chance OF gaining an
other mans property by loot will follow
To the American who honors his country
the attitude Of President Wilson's admins
,ration is a puzzle. L is incomprehenSible
that we should spend lives and money in the
Philippines, mourning the hostility Of Japan
by so doing. and neglect our Christian duty
ir Mexico. mourning the hostility o. other in
terested nations in so doing. The Americans
IN danger there run to the German Consul
for protection. The American has no country
70 protect him, and the willy Mexican
knows il.
Aside from this shameful state OF affairs.
the same duty that called Us 20 the Philip
pines should call much louder to Us from
Mexico They need schools. good roads and
hospitals there; they need liberty there far
more than do the Filpinos
Above all. we are blindly moving into more
certain danger by our supine attitude. Euro
pean powers will surely intervene in Mexico
il we do not. The Monroe Doctrine may then
bring America into a war far more serious
than self-protection and helpful charity now
urge. FRANK COLLlNSON. d.
Clarendon. TeY Ian. d. 1918.