New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-06
By ROBERT II. ROHDE

Dy hODLhI III. hOHDB
Columbus, y. NJ. Feb. 5.-Pershing
came out to-day.
Lock, stock and barrel. mule. noun
tain gun and supply train. the rough
and ready little punitive expedition
which marched south over the line
last spring. primed to fight the whole
Mexican nation If the business of get
ting Villa" resolved itself into that. is
back after eleven months on Mexican
soil.
Pancho Villa remains in Mexico. His
greatly increased forces, following
close on the heels Of the retreating
expedition, have poured into every
strategically important position evac-
uated by the Americans.
To the millions of Mexicans in dis
tricts remote from that lately occupied
by Pershing the withdrawal of the
"gringo' under diplomatic pressure
means no less than signal victory Of
arms. But the loudest OF all the shout
ers who cried their exultant viva
Mexico!" after the expedition must
have experienced thoughtful moment
had he been at the border gate to wit
ness Pershing's return.
From the square, stocky, gray gen.
eral who rode at the head Of the col
umn 10 the driver of the last truck
there was exhibited promise of mill
tary capabilities not at all compatible
with the Mexican theory of the retire
ment.
Expedition Starts Early
The expedition made an early morn
ing start. Between Las Palomas and
the border gate were five miles more
of marching-the homestretch OF
"Hell-hike."
So long as he remained in foreign
territory General Pershing had held
tight the reins of discipline. To the
last the strictest censorship had been
maintained, and neither newspaper
correspondents, ciyiilans nor soldiers
not directly attached to the eXpedi-
ton were permitted to pass beyond the
border and meet the returning column
on the desert.
At the border gate, four miles
south of Columbus, scarcely a score
of watchers were on hand when the
formation of balloon of dust on the
hazy horizon announced the expedition
lac ~ n
homeward journey.
For an hour and half the dust
cloud approached and increased in di-
mension. The wind, which had yeered
into the south, whirled the dust far IN
advance of the marchers. With the
change in wind came remarkably
swift rise in temperature. Sheepskin
lined greatcoats, which mad been SO
necessary in other days OF watcn1ui
waiting for Pershing's return. became
at first uncomfortable and then I'M
possible. The sun sizzled down WITH
dizzy intensity.
No Music on March
No strains of music competed WITH
tho dust for passage on the wings OF
the wind. Pershing had gone IN with
cut il. and so he was content to come
without it.
When the head Of the column was
within a half mile of the gate IN the
barbed wire fence which serves to mark
the border after the Rio Grande turns
north vision was altogether obscured,
as if by a fog. And then, as suddenly
as a long-hidden vessel pops from
fog. a rift occurred in the dust and
single figure was materiaiized-tn
figure of the horseman leading the
miles of troops.
A few minutes later General Per-
shing was at the gate, again on Amer
lean ground.
In the officers clubs they have got
into the habit of referring to Pershing
as the kitchener of the American
Army" There they weigh his proved
ability as an organizer and admins
tlator against that of England's great
soldier and fird the scales to balance;
and not a night goes by but what hears
. rehearsal Of the story of the battle
of Bagsak. on the island of Jolo. where
Pershing with a handful OF men.
charged I'D the side of the sacred
mountain" and captured the supposedly
impregnable fortress constructed in
the crater.
IL was the Kitchener Pershing and
the Bagsak Pershing rather than
crushed Pershing returning from an
unfinished errand who cantered
through the gate, grim and unceremo-
NOUS. There two sentries, Guardsmen