The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-01-24
'U.S. TROOPS OUT
.OF MEXICO SOON
| IOUTPOSTS HAVE NOW
BEEN CALLED IN
And Have Already Left E]
Vale On Orders From
Washington

Ell PASo, Tex, Jan. 23-Army
officers Including those arriving
from Columbus tonight predicted
formal order from the War De-
partment within the next 48 hours
for the withdrawal Of the troops
from Mexico. They said General
Pershine's main column should be
under way to the border before
the end Of the present week.
All sick soldiers in the field hos
pital at Colonia Dublan and in the
smaller hospitals along the line OF
communication were sent 10 the bor-
der today. Four hundred motor trucks
and lorries are plying between the
border and headquarters and have
brought ordnance stores. supplies and
equipment which are being stored IN
large tents at Columbus until after
disposition can be made of them.
Government agents claim to have
information that Villa has sent cour-
iers into Wester Chihuahua warning
his men not TO snipe upon the Ameri-
can troops for fear Of delaying the
withdrawal. Villa troops are report
ed yesterday at Janos, 50 miles north
west Of Colonia Dublan.
A train OF CarranZa troops left
Juarez today to garrison FL Vale. The
first American outpost troops were
reported 10 have arrived al Colonia
Dublan late today. Before leaving ii
Vale. they dynamlted all Of the adobe
houses which had been built by them
as shelters.
Truck drivers arriving here report
ed that five thousand natives and for
eigners in the zone occupied by the
punitive expedition were preparing
to march to the border behind the
troops. AL fear Villa will occupy the
country as soon as it Is evacuated by
General PerShln's troops.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Troop
movements preliminary 10 withdrawal
of the American expedition from Mex,
leo are being carried out at the
southern extremity of the American
line under War Department orders
and as soon as they are completed
the main body Of the expedition pro
badly will start north.
For the first time, officials admitted
today, that the withdrawal OF out
posts from El Vale and other points
about Colonia Dublan had more than
A local significance and was being
carried out on orders from Washing
ton. They made no announcement as
to the probable time when the general
northern movement would begin, and
would nto even admit that Withdrawal
of Pershing's troops after ten months
in Mexico, was at hand Since the
effort that to effect an agreement with
General CarranZa ended in failure
the administration has indicated that
ha
through action rather than by an
nouncement.
Officials are much interested. out
apparently little concerned, over
growing evidences that 4 determined
struggle for possession Of the terri
tory evacuated by Pershing may be in
progress soon between CarranZa
troops and revolutionists.
Bandit Leaders Join.
Today's official dispatches said that
Villa and Zapata. the two most con
spicuous revolutionary leaders. had
allied themselves for operations
against the DE- facto armies, and that
5000 men had been concentrated near
Chihuahua for Villa campaign in the
north. Since Carranza declined 10 &C
cept the Atlantic City protocol Of
fcials here have indicated that such
! problems as the one developed about
Chihuahua not only would be left tc
| the first chief for settlement. but tina;
he would be held responsible by the
United States government for their
settlement in such way as 10 pro
, tect American interests.
Meantime. raising Of the embargo
on arms to Mexico and the dispatch
Of Ambassador Fletcher TO Mexico
, City remain in abeyance. There
were indications today, that the pro
spect Of sending the ambassador to
his post had been made more indefi
mite by two developments construed
in some quarters as renewal OF
practices OF the Carranza government
against which the United States re-
peatedly has protested Officials are
so surprised and perpleXed over the
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