Arizona republican., 1916-04-23
More Troops Cross Border

FL PASO, Tex. April 22.-The croS7 | sing of additional American troops in i to Mexico from Columbus today caused a feeling approaching dismay among Mexican officials in Jaurez who were previously convinced that General Per shing's expedition was on the point of withdrawal. General Gavira. the Jaurez commander, was frank in his expressions of concern.
 q aO not understand why additional troops are being sent in." he said.
 l understand that the American gov ernment was seriously considering the withdawal of its forces and this move puzzles me. I confess it causes an unfavorable effect on the Mexican people who will not be able to under stand it any better than l."
 American army officers here, whils refusing to express a definite opinion CT the troop movement, pointed out that 1t did not necessarily mean that the iGea of recalling the Pershing ex-
 petition had been abandoned. One officer offered this as a possible ex- pllnation: We all realize that if the American troops begin to withdraw it may excite the various bands Of Villistas who are still roaming about northern Mexico and who will un- doubtedly conclude that the Americans are leaving because they have heen defeated. This may easily incite them | to attacks on OUT lire of communica- tions which is very poorly protected.
 The additional troops sent in may be | merely intended as a guard for our
 communications in the event of with.
 dfawal"
 | There is little question that the ! officers here generally believe that
 withdrawal is probable Some of them
 have privately expressed the opinion
 that General Pershing has already talk
 en the preliminary steps in the con-
 certration of his columns at three or four points a move which will enable
 him to evacuate the more dangerous
 points of occupation with a minimum
 delay after he receives his orders from
 Washington.
 Renewed anxiety was shown here
 today over the grave economic condi.
 tons in Mexico. Carranza money sui
 fered 2 new decline today being quoted
 in local brokers office at one and
 three quarter cents on the dollar
 Americans arriving from the interio!
 are unanimous in their statement.
 that the situation of the defacto gov
 ernment is becoming exceedingly pre-.
 carious and that in every city the,
 passed through food riots were al most daily occurrence
 One American who arrived here iron Durango City described the condition, In that state as terrible. He said tha the country people were Hooking int, the cities by thousands. there bein, . nothing left to eat in the bandit ravage,
 countryside.
 Tn Durango City, he said. "yol i could not get a room for love or moneI l The city has normal population o l about 35,000 but today it must hay S double that number There were eigh c or ten food riots in the week that wa 6 there. The rioters were savage in thei C desperation and the women were tn
 worst. l do not know a man in Mexic | who can handle the situation but it a certain that the people will flock to tn If standard of any revolutionist wh IT shows any strength and capacity. l. The feeling against Americans
 running very high and has been tre "A mendously increased by the Parral ir l. cldent- The Durango City papers put If llsned lurid accounts of what had har 10 pened. They said the "gringoes' ha " murdered six hundred women ar f,, children but had fled like towards wht ,o the Mexican soldiers attacked ther ff These stories are implicitly believed =, the peons and have caused a situati, =. which is making it very dangerous f
 an American to remain in the nterio have come out after spending fifte years there and I know others WI al have spent twice that time who a 'f leaving too.''
 III Reports reached here tonight tn e. serious rioting had broken out in Me, C. co City. These reports came from Me eh ican sources and were, as usual, impo O. sible to confirm.
 n- Quiet at the Base
 IT. COLUMBUS N NJ AnriI 22-Six