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Show EXPEGT VILLA TO GIVE BATTLE IN TJOORTH War Department Officially Announces Withdrawal of Pershing's Expedition From Mexico. , I BANDITS MAY TAKE THE VACATED POSTS Outlaw Chief Credited With Having an Army of 8000 Men; Guardsmen to Come Home, WASHINGTON, Jan. 28. Orders Cor the withdrawal of American troops from Mexico were officially announced today by the war department with the statement state-ment that the northward movement of General Pershing's men began early this morning with the evacuation of Colonia Dublan. The American expedition went into Mexico in pursuit of Villa, following the massacre of seventeen Americans by Villa adherents at Columbus, N. M., on March 9, 1916. Secretary Baker issued the following fol-lowing announcement: "General Pershing has been ordered to bring Ma troops out of Mexico. The movement is to be an immediate one and Is probably already under way." Later advices to the department said that the troops already had begun the evacuation of Colonia Dublan, 110 miles from the border, where they had been concentrating during tbe past few weeks. The last American soldier is expected to recross the border in about a week. Villa May Occupy Posts. No official information is at hand as to whether Villa or Carranza troops will occupy the territory left vacant by the Americans, but tbe belief is strong here that Villa, who is credited with at least S000 well-armed men and who Is now said to be at least four times as strong as when the American troops went across the border will make a desperate effort to take the territory. Two other phases of the Mexican problem prob-lem on which interest centers now are the disposition of 50,000 militia stili on the border and the sending 'Of Ambassador Ambassa-dor Fletcher to his post at Mexico City. Officials Bay no decision has been reached In either of these questions, but that both are dependent on the turn of events in Mexico. ' Guardsmen to Come Home. At least a part of the remaining guardsmen are expected to be ordered home as soon as the 25,000 now leaving have been moved out of the wa'y and Pershing's regulars have been redistributed redistrib-uted to provide adequate protection for the border, perhaps in three weeks' time. Pershing's withdrawal will enable a rhuch smaller force to guard the border, as a large support has been essential to his long line of communications. The delay in sending Ambassador Fletcher is due to the administration's hesitancy to accord that degree of recognition recog-nition to the Carranza government, which is felt not only to have been none too friendly, but also to be seriously endangered endan-gered by Villa, Zapata and other bandit activities, as well as by the extremely week economic conditions in the country. Speedy Withdrawal. The Pershing withdrawal will be carried car-ried out with as much speed as possible over the rough, arid, waterless section, and it is hoped that the men will cover about fifteen miles a day. Railroads will not be used oven for carrying supplier, as it is desired neither to run any chance of raids by Villa nor to incur any obligation obliga-tion to Carranza. Preparations for withdrawal have been going on for some time, it was admitted todav, with the calling In of outposts and the taking of steps to protect friendly Chinese and Mormons from punishment by tbe Mexicans. No announcement could be marie, it was added, before the wctual march was under way. as it was feared some unexpected event might come up which would require a further delay and embarrassing explanations to South American countries, which have been watching eierv step in t lie critical situation situa-tion with the utmost Interest. A combination of rcapons arc given unofficially un-officially for the withdrawal decision. First was the Impracticability of actually canturln Villa,"' as the object of the expedition ex-pedition was explained to be in a White house statement issued at the time the expedition was sent In. Then, with the border apparentlv safe, the demand for the return of the state troops has become more and more pressing. Speedy Withdrawal. Moreover, Pershing's locution was rec-p27ilzed rec-p27ilzed as a. source of military weakness, both in the face of possible attacks on his long flankh and aiso in the eventual-1 eventual-1 itv of a. larger expedition into Mexico. Probably mere decisis than all these reasons, however, was the belief that the situation would never be solved one way or the other so tone as Pershing stayed and. that It would be best to withdraw all American soldiers from the stricken country coun-try in order to remove any American or antt-Americpn issue. In other words, there is a disposition to leave Mexico to work out Us own salvation without interference, inter-ference, and even to give Carranza diplomatic diplo-matic victory in the hope that in some wav a stahle government may arise there. With the last American soldier out of Mexico, the Mexican problem ca n be viewed In a new light. Prom now on it Continued on Pago Two.). EXPECTED VILLA WILL SOON JIVE BATTLE (Continued from Page One.) will not, be possible for Carranza to meet American demands with counter-demands for the withdrawal of the troops. EXPEDITIONARY TROOPS PUSHING THEIR WAY NORTH KTj PASO, Jan. 28. American expeditionary expedi-tionary troops in Mexico are pushing rap-Idly rap-Idly northward toward the border, passengers pas-sengers say, who arrived here late today from Columbus, N. M. Information had arrived, they added, that the Sixth. Sixteenth, Six-teenth, Seventeenth and Twenty-fourth United Elates infantry regiments and the Fifth, Eleventh and Thirteenth United States cavalry were expected to reach the Palomas lakes, seven miles south of the border, early Wednesday morning. It is further reported that all of the expeditionary expe-ditionary units will concentrate at Palomas Pa-lomas and, when united, will undergo a final Inspection and review before their formal entry on American soil. General Pershing is expected to spend a day at Ojo Federico before coming on to Palomas. according to reports. Radio a nd wire communication were maintained today between Columbus and various points down the line of communication, communi-cation, but Included Colona Dublan only early in the day. Tt was learned at Columbus, Co-lumbus, however, that the signal corps is under instructions to begin to dismantle the apparatus. Motor truck trains are operating night and day. bringing stores nrt equipment to the border. Over oOO trucks are engaged en-gaged In this service, while twenty motor ambulances are conveying the sick and disabled. VILLA FOLLOWERS ATTACK MURGUIA MILITARY TRAIN JUAREZ. Jan. 28. Villa followers fired into General Jose Carlos Murguia's military mili-tary train at Santa Sofia, 110 miles south of Juarez, last night and the military train was forced to return to Guzman before be-fore resuming the trip to Casas Grandes, according to semi-official sources here. The Mexico Northwestern passenger train which left Casas Grandes for Juarez late yesterday was also pursued by Villa cavalry, but the engineer opened the throttle and escaped from the Villa followers, fol-lowers, according to the same source. This train was crowded with foreign and Mexican refugees. Great tires were illuminating Colon ia Dublan. General Pershing's headquarters, as they passed there last evening, the passengers said. All woodwork used in the encampment and surplus fodder were burning. Although the passengers heard of rebels tiring on General Murguia's train, few knew of the report that their own had been threatened. They all said, however, how-ever, they had heard rumors of Villa bands occupying El Valle. Despite this, many Americans were reported to be remaining re-maining in Mexico. There were sixteen cars in the train fro:: Casas Grandes, hut the number of Americans did not exceed a hundred. The rest were Mexicans. The distance up was only 18 miles, yet the passengers were twenty -seven hours on the road. |
