El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-21

- their last breakfast before taking thei
l departure
e II is very confidently believed tina
s not only were the forces Of the puni
I tive expedition delayed by guides VIII
were friendly to Villa, but that tn
much wanted man was kept constantly
and infinitely informed as to ever,
move made or even contemplated b,
the various columns operating i'm from
of the main body OF the expeditionarl
An Attack sunday.
Only last night. Sunday. April 1e, al
( Matachic, was given an example Of the
! sort Of cooperation the Americans are
getting from the rowing bandits OF
I armed men who call themselves Gar
rancistas" A small truck train was
coming through a bad part of coun-
| try a few miles out Of that town when
It was Jumped" by about 20 Mexi-
I cans, all armed and clad in non
4 descrpt uniform which may be either
] Carrancista or Nillista. AS soon as
! the Mexicans fired, the trucks were
1 parked aud the drivers and guards
| prepared TO defend themselves and
! prevent the capture OF the valuable
! transports. The Mexicans continued to
We're attacked by Villistas, poured a
murderous fire into the attacking
party A number were seen to fall
but whether killed or wounded the
Americans had no means OF knowing
In order to cause the Americans to
cease firing, the MeXicans ran up the
national standard Of Mexico and shout
ed that they were Carrancistas and
therefore amigos"
Americans Fenr Trouble.
The Americans. fearing that they
might get themselves into trouble if
they fired upon the Mexican flag. with
held further fire, expecting the leader
Of hn nfras~ y ~
and explain why he had made the at
tack but nothing like that happened.
As soon as the MeXicans saw that they
were in no further danger from the
rifles OF the defenders Of the truck
train. they picked up their wounded
and dead If they had any and beat
it, for the adjacent hills.
That is only sample of what the
Americans have had to stand from the
day they crossed the border to the
present time. They must be on their
guard constantly against offending any
Mexican for fear he may set up the
claim that he is a Carrancista and
therefore an ally in the general move
ment against the supposedly common
enemy Pancho Villa.
Carranza and many of his followers
may be all right, but the hills and
valleys Of this section Of the republic
are filled with prOfessed Carrancistas
who are at heart the most ardent ad-
mirers Of Villa and who would stop
at nothing to put a spoke in the Ameri-
can wheel and drive the hated "gringO"
from the country which they say they
love, but which they really cucumber
Americans Work Faithfully.
The plans made by Gen Pershing.
the commander Of the expedition, for
the capture of the man he was after,
gently and faithfully by the men
placed in command OF the several col
umns sent into the country i'm which
it was known at that time this man
was hiding. There was no lost mo-
ton. Marches were made which will
long stand as records in the American
army. Hardships were endured but
every effort was thwarted by the
activities Of men whom we were COM
PEELED to look upon as friends and |
allies
As an instance Of the feeling enter /
tanned by some Of the people who pose !
as enemies Of Villa, though probably ,
not all, it may be cited that when an /
officer at one Of the advanced posts |
now occupied by the Americans called 4
at the tienda OF the leading man of /
the town and tried to buy food. ahe y
was refused. He admitted that he /
would like to see peace in Mexico and /
said he had been robbed by Carrancis- !
tas as well as by Nillistas. why.
then" asked the American, when you 4
both Carrancistas and Nillistas OF food /
and forage, for nothing and with no
hope OF future reward, why do you
refuse to sell to an American who
viii pay you in gold?"
The old fellow raised himself up
proudly as he replied: Those men
were my brothers; you are nothing to
ne"
That is the spirit prevailing espe-
tally as one gets away from the Dor
Ter, into the interior.
Hatred Long Standing.
They dislike us instinctively. They
'emember the humiliation of 46 aud
a, If they are Of that vintage. or II
hey are of more recent generation.
hey have been told or have read in
heir histories Of the rapacity Of the
gringo" who robbed them Of Texas.
Jew Mexico, Arizona and beautiful
california. They labor under the i'm
ressiOn that those states of the Amer
can union which were taken from
leKicO as the result Of the war Of
S46-1 would be the rich states they
re IT they had remained in possess
ion of Mexico and they become mad
ened when they think Of the great
oss they think they suffered
/ know that this idea is entertained
ny many MeXicans, because / have had
hem tell me so. IL makes no differ
nee that / point to the comparative
Y poverty stricken condition of many
T the beautiful valleys in the territory
ct retained by Mexico because of /.
lcS Of thrift on the part of the Mex
Fan owners and lack Of acumen on the !
art Of the Mexican rulers. They are |
OF willing to cOncede that the Amer
'ans are any more competent TO de-
elop natural opportunities than arc {
lexicans and therefore their delusiOn
s to the loss sustained when Texas
nd California were taken from them.
Americans should Know.
IL is time the American public was
lade aware Of the conditions existing I
! Mevico so far as the prosecution of
ne object of this expedition is con-
erned. II the story Of the Parral in
dent gets through. an inkling of the
rue state Of affairs may be had but
VIII be but an inkling Parral was
ut the elimination Of a long series
annoyances, borne because there
as no recourse. The United States I
compelled to stand for the insults J
capped upon 1t by a portion OF the
eXican public which protects itself s
ON punishment by wrapping itself
the folds Of the banner of the party {
power and which pleads immunity {
2 the ground that It is cooperating !
ith us in the matter OF bringing to $
Isuce bandit and redhanded muir c
srer. )
At best, unless there is a radical /
ia n HH...