American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-03-16
BARBER & BURRELL, Publishers.
NOT EXACTLY A BREAKFAST SPELL.

New Mexico and understands not only the Mexican but
the nature of the country that has been invaded by Unit
ed States troops.
Funston will get him! Villa is as good as dead now
That's a cinch' a gentleman remarked. ut will be only
a little exercise for our boys"
We all hope SO. We all hope the Mexican situation will
be Strengthened out without sacrifice of a lot of good
men. Without a long drawn-out campaign that will cost
too much even if no more clean American bodies feel the
sting of Mexican bullets. We have heard too long
The wall of woe the south wind brings
AS over the sands it sobs and sings
Telling a story in words blood red,
OF brute torn women and rotting deadP
But | am afraid the gentleman is mistaken.
The comparatively small force now on the Mexican
border is not apt to find the capturing of Villa a mere
breakfast spell.
If Carranza co-operates-if he can co-operate-with
the United States troops it looks on the surface like it
would be an easy task to round up a few hundred or a few
thousands of ragged, poorly armed, half-starved, Mexi-
cans.
But l question if Carranza will be able to lend much real
assistance to the soldiers we must send into Mexico if
Villa is to be taken and the long list of horrs that have
stunned without stirring to action are ended.
The Mexican is a peculiar creature.
My honest belief is that Villa, by drawing the United
States troops after him, has drawn the Mexican people to
him. Has made himself their logical, natural, national
hero, according to their fixed methods of reasoning. Simp-
" because the Americans "want him." That is enough
lie is a martyr-to the mass of MeXicans.
For a good many years ! ranged the country Villa is
now operating in-on both sides of the border. Most of
that time it happened | was more or less associated with
people whose duty it was to preserve the governmental
equilibrium. That meant run down Mexican cattle rust
lers, capture or "get" barn burners, horse thieves, etc. etc.
A good many times | have been on such expeditions. |
cannot recall a single instance of where a Mexican helped
to "get" a Mexican.
If the fugitive was a relative it was absolutely certain
that, instead of aiding in the effort cunning schemes would
be devised to hinder-generally by a pot shot" from
around the corner of an adobe wall or from behind a rock
along the trail.
Relative or not, the thing a Mexican does-or used to
do-when white men were after a Mexican was to put
rocks in the road of the white men.
1t seems to be the psychology of the creatures.
SO Carranza may be willing enough himself to help get
Villa and so might be a few of his cabinet" but will his
people help and even if they would how much assistance
could they give?
Carranza never has controlled more than a few scatter
ing patches OF Mexico. Chihuhua, -SonOra-practically
all of northern Mexico-are unsubdued to his rule. He
has never been able to safely, indeed, he dare not, enter
Mexico City. All of southern Mexico belongs to brigan-
age.
Villa has a wonderful country to range over. 1t was
made, apparently, for the habitation of Yaquis, Apaches,
breeds" naturally anarchists. Incapable of ubmitting
to any rule save the rule of force. Even then rebelling
everlastingly at the slightest opportunity for success.
Unless the country has changed in physical character
istics since the "old days" infantry is worthless.
Swift, hard riders, with ability to handle horse and gun
in sudden, driving PUSHES and able to move like the whirl-
wind from the desert to mountain and from mountain
fastness to waterless, cacti plain, must be the instruments
of Providence, as Providence manifests itself through the
belated action of this government, to restore peace and re-
establish safe conditions in Mexico.
The Yaqui never surrenders. He dies. He never
quits hating the white man. He has not paused in that
hatred since Cortez first scared his flesh with the iron of
whose avowed ambition is to kill the white man is his wor-
shipped leader. Sans leader he is a good free-handed
sniper on his own hook.
There is enough of the Yaqui strain all through the
Mexican breed to perpetuate this inherited and accentuat-
ed hatred of the Gringo.
Wouldn't give four-bits for the lives of the five hundred
Mormon c~olonists at Casas Grandes unless they are well
armed II the Yaquis-knowing that white soldiers are on