Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-06-21
Especial to The Heraid.D

DAIbtS, itA.' buhe -i.-i ice IftS-
idcnt j. L.. rarsnwortn UI the Southwes
tern Telegraph y Telephone Company at
Dallas louay gave out IA interview on
boracr conditions IN which he declares
the fundamental causc 81 me trouble 10
be- the InaDIIIty 10 eAIcnu authority anu
responsible governmental organization
III Mexico beyond the range of quick
communication,
DurIng the entire progress of the wal
III Mexico ANA particularly since the
NiIds along the nio branuc commenced.
Mr.. Farnsworih has been IN almost con
slant contact with the section OF TeXa
which has suffered most. Reports TO him
cover All phases oi the situation ana
have been made IN connection with me
enort 10 keep the wire sNs EN- on tuc
tnlied States SIDE oI the RIVER intact.
Representatives al me Southwcstcrn
company have investigated conditions
Thoroughly and have been m On>uitd
ton with Mexican authorities ana ar
regular leaders.
The trouble now being experienced
between Brownsvtlt and Eagle Pass.
has many different phases intricate IN
application, but fundamentally the con
dition arises from the fact that Mexican
authorities and responsible military lea
ders of that country find il almost inn
possible 10 extend their authority he
yond the range of their vision says
Mr.. Farnsworth.
NBsrauSc al European competition.
the cost of war j. going NJ. Mexico has
been stripped and -. because ~ the
exceptional problems ~ The commits
%sariat. troops not engaged ~ actual
hos'ilitics are necessarily turned loose
on the country To find their own Sustcn
aitce.
Once they are ont uf cities. away
from their responsible leaders the, are
likely To become %irreeular>. This is
particularly true since il has bccnmr -
hard for soldiers IA >uh>iSt upon what
they find in their own and and that
across the river il rich and prosperous.
Since there is ma VI, of communication
with these soldiers scattered in small
bands to live oil the country. except hN
courier. the leaders who appreciate The
situation. are practically without cnn
troll. There can bc nn reliable system
of daily reports upon which ~ base in
formation - ~ the immediate where
ab"uts of the men.
There can hr a. doubt that mnnv Ut
the raiders are Mexican soldiers hut
their officers cannot hc held directly r.
sponSiblc hy those who appreciate the
conditions. Everything possible l. be
ing done to keep hem in heck. hut
Mexico. especially that portion above
Matamoro>. i devoid If telephone lines
and has butt one frail telegraph wire
Mexican >uIdicr~ are out of touch.
beyond the range Of responsible author
ity when they are ont ot reach hy wire.
They can engage in short raids without
being discovered by their high officers.
Hunger spurs them on. Reports spread
by Mcxi"ans returning Ia their own
country from the United States infllmc
them against this country. Their pref
udice> are played upon and they are
made the dupc> of agents who have per
sonal reasons for fomcnting trouble il
they can.
From these facts il will be seen that
the lack If the methods of quick com
~municaticn. particularly Of telephone
servive. makes the administration of
governmental functions AMIDST impossi-
Bile in Mexico. This is IN direct con
trast to the condition on this SIDE of the
river where the net work of telephone
lines has provided the main protection
for settlers and the most potent Inti-
cnce to assist the armed forces Of the
United States in their campaign 10 pre-
vent war.
In this country, as soon as a band OF