Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-06
MAY TAKE YEAR
TO BEAT MEXICO
Lieut. C. w. Thomas Draws
Conclusions From Expert
ences on the Border

Lieutenant Charles w. Thomas,
who served on the Mexican border
and later overseas with the. Pennsyl-
vania division, gave a representative
of The Telegraph to-day some in
teresting views on the character of
fighting which would probably be
necessary in suppressing the bandits
of Mexico. Lieutenant Thomas is a
thorough soldier, a student of mill
tary tactics and his views are of
more than usual interest.
. "Now that there is possibility of
Intervention in Mexico" said he,
there is much discussion regarding
the size and makeup of the army
to be used and the time required to
do the job. In most of these dis
cussions the point seems to be taken
that our army would invade Mexico,
encounter and defeat the Mexican
army and it would be all over. Few
seem to consider the possibility of
the MeXicans not coming out to fight
but of them waging a guerilla war
fare, or the difficulties of the ter
rain, transportation and hardships
to be endured, due to the peculiar
climate and the lack of water.
Having been engaged in guerilla
warfare for a number of years, the.
Mexican is thoroughly familiar with
the country, just what he must do to
subsiSt for a given time, knows how
to utilize cover, especially as regards
a retreat after having committed
some depreciation.
Along the northern border the
days may be blistering hot, making
heavy clothing unbearable, yet the
nights will be cool and uncomfort-
able without cover for sleeping or
heavy clothing. In addition, the
ground is infested with all sorts of
creatures from the ant to the rattle
snake, making sleep troublesome at
times. Then the sandstorms, ever
present, will take the heart out of
any one.
Most of the country of northern
Mexico, as shown on the maps, is
stretches. of desert land, rolling
prairie covered with mesquite bush
and cactus, and ranges of hills and
mountains, scanned with numerous
trails and passages, many of which
can only be travelled on foot while
others can be used by cavalry or
pack mules only.
ION the plains or in the mountains
it would often be possible for q
couple of rif1emen to inf1ict casual
ties on approaching troops and get
away without danger to themselves,
while a few men with machine guns
might so conceal themselves that adj
vance cavalry, scouts and and an
advance guard or all three could pass
over them and not know of their
presence; they could then infiict
heavy casualties on column and
still stand fair chance of getting
away owing to their familiarity with
the many secret trails and passes.
"The atmosphere is such that q
single man or horseman can be seen
several miles away, enabling any
band to so dispose their forces as
to infiict casualties and get safely
away.
But worst of all would be the
hardships to be endured, the most
important of which would be lack
of water. In many cases it is from
five to 100 miles between watering
places, the sand in daytime being
hot and the dust burning your nos
trils and lips, creating a craving for
water.
THE inhabitants are a filthy peo-
pie and the villages are mostly adobe
huts and filthy with dirt and dis
ease.
"An army entering Mexico is GER
tain to be well supplied with cavalry
and infantry and in no small num-
bers.
IF I were asking for leave from
my place of employment to accom-
pany an army sent to subdue Mexico
should ask for no less than one
year."