Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-04
RELIEF FELT HERE
IN JUAREzCAPTURE
Government and Revolution
list Circles Interpret New
Military Plan.

Relief was shown both in govern
agents here today when 1t became
| known that Juarez, Mexico, where
revolutionary fighting always has
been a potential international dan
ger, had been taken by the rebels
without a fight. While preparations
! for the safeguarding OF Americans at
east coast ports of Mexico by the
dispatch of additional naval units
| went forward. and Carranzas reply
| to the representations made by this
government regarding the murder of
| two more Americans near Mexico
City was awaited. the chief interest
appeared to be in the modified mill
tary plans 1t was assumed the occu-
patton of the border town would cause
rebel leaders to adopt.
Until now the rebels have succeed
ed in taking from Carranza almost
half his territory without battle
but military men here who have
| watched the developments of the rev.
olution assume a few stubborn con-
tests are inevitable unless averted by
further defections in the federal
forces. Mexican agents here persist
in their assertions that further cases
of government troops declining battle
will hasten the end of their struggle.
NHErUnSI NOVeS rAiCO.
SO far as indicated by Information
available here, either from official Or
rebel sources. the two campaigns be-
gun by CarranZa have been failures.
His effort to attack the Sonora troops
from the state of Chihuahua has been
brought to an end by the detection of
every garrison in that state, and the
expedition sent from the south
through the state of Jalisco to check
the southwark movement of rebels
through the states of Sonora. Sinaloa
and Mayarit has not succeeded, large
ly because of the harassing by small
rebel groups which have been striking
at the railroad extending through
Guadalajara toward the north. In
federal garrison at Mazatlan. but too
small. say military observers. to as
sumo the offensive and not strong
enough to withstand a heavy attack.
The rebel tactics appeared to be to
ignore the little garrison. believing
it would eventually surrender.
The occupation of Juarez makes it
possible, in the opinion of American
military men. for the rebel leaders to
divert their Sonora forces to the route
southwark from Chihuahua toward
Tcrreon. long regarded the most
strategic pint in northern Mexico.
Possession of Torreon gives its holder
the advantage of operating eastward
through the state of Coahuila to Sal
tilIo and Monterey, as well as to the
south.
StHl Strong In COahuiIa.
Carranza's strength in Coahuila. his
own state, appears almost unimpaired.
but in the adjoining state of Nuevo
Leon, Andrew AlmaZan and minor
south and west Of Matamoros at the
mouth of the Rio Grande. With rebels
IN the east and the west the only
outlet to the American border left
the Mexican government is through
Laredo and Eagle Pass.
Notwithstanding the progress the
rebels have made. however there has
been nothing in the reports received
here that has caused American officers
to believe Carranza will be forced to
surrender or run for considerable
period of time. An increased restric-
ton of his zone of operations was re-
garded as not unlikely through the
cutting Of all his lines of commune
cation both to the north and to the
seacoast. but even then, they indi-
Gated, loyal though reduced army
could hold It's own for many weeks on
account of organization and greater
supplies.
Menace Seen From south.
The greatest. Immediate danger that
official and unofficial observers here
profeSSed to see in the situation so
far as 1t affected Carranza was that
menacing him in the south. The long
hook. whose making the rebels be-
gan when they started down the west
coast. has now reached it's barb al
most to the gates of the capital. With
the exception of a short break across
the state Of Jalisco it has curved
through the states of Colima, Michoa-
can, Guerrero and Morelos.
a large part of the forces in the
state Of Puebla have Joined the rebels
adviccs agree. and rebels in the state
OF Tla%ca!a, between Mexico City and
Vera Cruz. have interrupted traffic
both over the Interoceanic and Next
can railways At different points in
southern Vera Cruz rebel operations
have been reported. and from official
as well as rebel sources news re-
ceived here has indicated well ad-
vanced steps toward the coordination
Of the different factions.