The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-09
Washington Insists, for
Publication, It Is Only
''Manoeuvres
SAYS, PRIVATELY,
TROUBLE B REV S
Certain That War Game Re.
lates to Conditions Across
Mexican Border-Attitudc Of
Diaz Conundrurn-De-
partment Works
Perfectly.


Washington D. c.. March s.-The
officers who set the machinery going
for the great gathering OF. United
states troops and warships from end
TO end OF the Mexican frontier to-day
drew their first long breath in thirty
SIX hours. and aat back in their chairs
in the War and Navy Departments to
watch the thing work From all di-
rections trains are carrying soldiers,
horses, field guns and ammunition TO
ward the places OF rendezvous.
Ofical Washington still insists. for
publication. that the sole purpose Of
this sudden and unexpected display Of
the military resources of tho nation 3
to engage In field manocuvrcs and prac-
ticc u officers and men in land and
naval activities, under service condi-
tons; in private they make little at
tempsto conceal the relation Of the
potential over tho Mexican border lInc
MINT Is Mexican .tttitudcs
The conundrum over which the unin
formed are puzzling tonight is the
question Sof the real attitude of the
Mexican government toward this un-
precedent# display OF war resources
AZ itsSd oofst ep, Not a word OF an au
thoritative character is obtainable on
that subject. II is the general belief
however, that the Diaz government was
not in the least taken by surprise in
the matter The cordially of the rcia-
tons between the Taft and Daz adj
nlinistraions. as expressed when the
two Presidents met on the international
bridge last Year, have not been dimn-
ished by any happenings since. so far
as Is known here. and it is taken for
t-..tD I . - ~
cation Of troops within few steps OF
the Mexican soil never would have been
cffecicd Witholt-sutahlc Interchange
between tire two governments to pre-
clude the possibility OF misunderstand-
Ing.
OLD Washingtonians day compared
the conditions prevailing ct the War
and Navy Departments with the tur-
moi. and excitement which Character
lied the carly days OF the Spanish
American War. Thirty-six hours after
the determination was reached to mo-
bilizc whole army division in Texas,
the officials were sitting TRANQUILITY II
their desks. watching with quiet in
terest the workings of the magnificent
machinery that had been so carefully
nuilt up TO respond to just such an
emergency as the present The Secre-
tary OF War was busy winding up some
Important matters of civil administra
ton. prepare tory TO leaving Washington
for several days. Nothing OF military
nature intcrfered with his designs. and
! he was able to proceed late in the day
for Atlanta
Little to he Done.
Major General Leonard Wood chief
OF STAFF, came into town from his Fort
Myer home early to-day, and was soon
busy with reports from his aids and
other members Of the general staff,
showing What progress was being made
IN carrying out the plans for mobiIiZa-
ton Ct the troops. These appeared to
have been laid with perfection. and
with the exception OF dispatching or
ders TO certain companies TO take the
places of others whose withdrawal
TO Texas had left some Of the military
posts without proper caretakers. there
was little to be done.
Major General Carter, who is 70 com
mand the army division in Texas. was
LOOKING after some personal. CORE
spondence and making sure that his fla :
rorite charger would be suitably cared
ioI on the long railroad trip to Texas.
Nowhere was the superiority of the
ne" state OF anairs over those that cX-
listed In the War Department before
the days of the Spanish War made moro
/. manifest than in the quartermastcr's
department. General Alcshrc with his
DEPUTIES. was engaged in a Herculean
task he was moving body of soldiers
across the country more numerous
than the entire force which was gath
cred at GTampa. Fla, to form the Amer
lean army of occupation i'm 1898; yet
therc actually was no evidence to tie
| casual observer that there was In pro-
gross anything more than mere rontine
| business of the quartcrmaster's dcnart.
ment The troops movements we're
proceeding with absolute accuracy. and
up TO the close Of business TO-DAY not
one telegram had been received nv tho
quartermast er- general to complain that
anything was missing essential 10 Tho
comfort OF the troops or tho animals
on the road.
Every Dctnii Worked out.
There was good reason for This he
cause as the records Of the quarter
masters department show, cverv detail,
OF the movement had been worked out
with the greatest perfection long IN
advance.
Details OF the composition of tho full
division OF troops which will be con
centrated at san Antonio, Texas, under
, command of Major General Carter. were
made public by tho War Department
:NThc division will consist Of three bri-
i Ghdes Of infantry n field artillery bri-
sade. divisional cavalry detachment
| cavalry brigade and number OF aux
lltary troops, including members of the
| signal, medical and engineer corps OF
! the army.
The First Infantry Brigade will he
[ composed OF the Eleventh, Fifteenth
ana Eighteenth mfantry: the Second
Of the Thirteenth, Twenty second and
Twenty third Infantry. and the Third
OF the Tenth. Seventeenth and Twenty
eighth Infantry.
/ ,rhnL E'IclI Arfillnr,, Ilrierna1, ,..il1 4.