El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-02-07
TROOPS BLAMED
FOR REBEL RAID

'intolerable conditions which have
covered a period Of nearly 10 years
reached the apex OF their snarnelu
ness and horror. as viewed from the
American conception Of justice ana
decency. last tall-- This condllloh' ne
declared. still exists
Cen. Howe. who has been the
principal witness before the suDcoul- .
mittee here so far, gave both secret
and public testimony In CONFER
ence with members Of the senate sub
committee just before he gave ms
public. testimony, the general as
cussed the Mexican situation with
the investigators and is believed 10
have outlined what he believes 10 be
the solution OF the neighborlnE re-
public's difficulties That ne DelleFes
this solution can not be worked out
by Mexico alone became evident Wnen
he made a formal statement at an
omen session Of the Subcommittee IN
which he said that, II left solely IN
the hands OF Mexicans, the future OF
that country was hopeless
Makes Formal Statement
A formal statement was prepared
and read into the record by the gem
eral, who first obtained the permls-
sion of the war department TO do So
First. he said that since 1917 II per-
sons had been killed and Il wounded
on this side Of the line by MeXicans-
The commanding officers statement
aOff and on during the last four
years ! have had peculiar aqVan-
tage in being able 10 see and to know
the things, 50 Tar as concerns Amen
cans and foreign owned property.
which have happened on TINS SIDE Oh
the Rio Grande and IN Mexico
I viii not undertake 20 describe
them-they are too numerous and
already we'll known Ny conclusions
ought to be sufficient The intoler-
able conditions which have covered
a period OF nearly ten years nave
continually grown worse, ana ! am
convinced the apex OF shameIulne
American conception Of justice and
deceucy. was reached last fail. q con-
dition which still exists
The Mexican government curing
this ten years OF critical time has
never, as far as I can determine done
one genuinely friendly thing towards
our government. On the other hand,
the Mexican government or It's peo-
pie. has done no end Of discourteous.
contemptuous and offensive things Oh
large importance toward our gov
eminent and our people
The result has been an increased
estrangement and an increased hatred
against the people Of the United
States There are 10 end OF reports
showing that Americans are pelnE
murdered or being captured and re-
sign owned properties are being con-
fiscated or practically destroyed
Mexican bands are committing horrl-
BILE crimes and IN isolated places con-
tinue 10 make raids upon the persons
and property OF American cltlzens
located on our side Of the border
Everywhere in Mexico. as lar as
can be observed there is lack OF
progress Murder, rapine ana de-
struction prevail From our point OF
view. there is no evidence OF con-
structive craftsmanship. We VINO
closely observe believe the future OF
Mexico, so far as IL affects US, IS
utterly hopeless II left solely IN the
control Of Mexicans."
CarraneiStns Fired Into L. $
Col Francis Glover. chief OF starr
10 Gen Howe and who held tnaL
position under Gen James b IRWIN
during the Villa attack on Juarez
last June. followed MS superior o.
ficer to the stand he was asked by
senator A 3. FAN, chairman OF the
subcommittee, 70 testify as 70 whelner
Carrancistas as well as Nilhstas ured
into FL PaSo during the last J uarez
battle. Col Glover said that he saw
both sides fire across the line
Col Glover said he went down 70
the headquarters OF the SD tleld ar
rillery, which during the battle was
at Peytou's packing plant. and there
saw Filllsta snipers fire on men OF
the SD This he knows parucu larly
well for the reason that some OF the
bullets passed near him he Lnen
said he went down 70 the santa Re
bridge about 1870 o'clock in the after
noon OF the battle and saw Carran-
elstas fire into Il Paso. Col Glover
told the investigators Of note which
Gen Erwin received from the late
Gen. Felipe Angeles, then OF viva s
staff. asking for information about
the battle. Gen Angeles wrote that
all Villistas had strict instructions
not 10 fire across the boundary Col
Glover said he believed Gen Angeles
vas a fine soldier and one OF the
most upright men in Mexico, but that
he was misinformed.
Referring again TO the battle Col
Glover said that before the American
troops went in he went over 10 find
out how the Carranclstas could De
distinguished from the Nillistas- he
was Informed. the witness said that
the Carrancistas had their left pants
legs rolled up TO the knee and their
sleeves rolled up TO their elbows
1t is evident that in the heat or
the fighting some OF the pants legs
rolled down" the colonel said
Capt Leonard Matlack. OF the
Eighth cavalry, now at Fort Bliss and
formerly stationed in the Big Bend
district. attended the Friday after
noon session and may be a witness
It was Capt Matlack who rescued
avfators Petersen and Davis, who
we're held for ransom last fail by
AIexfcans- Col. George 7. Langhorne,
commanding the Eighth cavalry, also
was TO be a witness