Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-01
GENERAL 0BREG0N ASKS
TROOPS BE TAKEN OUT
Continued From Page One.)

that the army officers have asked per-
mission to take up in all its phases the
question of Withdrawing the troops
from Mexico which General Obregon
and his fellow conferees brought to
the fore at the conference of Saturday.
That the conferences here will fin
ally settle the withdrawal question is
not believed. Washington it is said
has suggested that the American rep
| resentatives obtain all possible data
and information bearing on the ques-
ton that may be advanced by the Mex
lean conferees and forward a full re-
port for the consideration of the state
| department which now has Carranza's
request for withdrawal of the Amer
lean troops under Amusement
Troops Provoke Hostility.
| After the conclusion of the negotia-
tons here, for the withdrawal of the
| troops, the American conferees are
prepared to take up TIE proposition of
cooperation Of the American troops
with the CarranZa forces in the crush
ing Of the Villista bands. 1t is believ-
ed that General Obregon, before I'M
dertaking to discuss this question,
will at least urge that the American
troops retire to limited and restrict
| ed district just south of the border for
| its political effect in Mexico. The
presence of United States troops on
| Mexican soil is said to be provoking
hostility.
Obregon and his party think the
conference will be concluded by the
middle of the week.
Many Improvements Made.
Field headquarters, April 25, (By
motor courier to Columbus, n. NJ,
May 1)-Many practical improve
ments in details of campaigning and
of service equipment have been
worked out or suggested in the five
weeks chase of Villa and his bandits.
More varied wireless equipment is
one change.
The art of cooking in the field made
advances which demonstrated the adj
visibility of the addition of some sort
Of a frying pan to the mess kits of
the men. The men have been thrown
upon their own resources for cooking
so often that probably every man who
went to the front could now qualify
for an assistant chef Lacking frying
pans they used their mess pans which
have a long handle, an adjustment
feature especially bad for Tipping
too.
A pack mule kitchen is the most i'm
portant improvement suggested in the
cooking line. The mules can follow
| the cavalry anywhere and get there
before dark, assuring the men Of
meal properly cooked by competent
chefs.
Cavalry Second to None.
The cavalry has proved that it is
second to none in the history of the
American army 1t has marched more
than fifty miles day at times through
mountains where the trails were I'M
known, through canyons which the
natives declared horsemen could not
penetrate, without regular rations and
living on little meat and hard ground
corn without salt.
The cavalry sabre has been useless
in this campaign. The cavalry car
bine proved too long, suggesting
| shorter barreled rife which would
oscillate less in the sling while packed
on horses.
The necessity for some ready sys-
TEN for hobbling horses so that they
could not stray while grazing on I'M
| fenced prairies was brought out
sharply. So also was the desirable
ity of smaller horses, the low weight
carrying type about fifteen hands high
instead of. the II hand high type of
cavalry animals which can do great
jumping and ring-show work. The
| hunter type of animal suitable for
park and hound riding did not prove
as useful in this campaign as the
smaller native ponies of the west and
southwest which were able to shift
for themselves and live on grass when
corn, oats or hay was low.
The old iron ration" bacon, coffee
and bareback with little sugar and
salt stood every test of this CAM
paign so far, keeping the men in re-
markedly good health.
The only dress reform indicated
was in shoes for rough work in des-
erts and mountains. Ordinary heavy
marching shoes wore out in a few days
frequently, in some cases even in one
day of mountain climbing. The foot
gear which seems to have held up
better than shoes and leggings is the
high lace boot with heavy hobnails.