New-York tribune., 1911-03-14
MEXICAN INVASION
ONLY ALAST RESORT
Patrol Ct the Border by United
States Troops Chiefly for
Preserving Neutrality.
READY TO RESTORE ORDER
Should It Become Necessary for
American Soldiers to Enter
Mexico They Would Remain
Only Pending an Election.

! Washington. March ESQ many con-
! ficting reports have appeared regarding
the purpose Of the administration in mo-
blizing an army OF 10000 men on tho
Mexican boundary that il has been
! deemed advisable 10 permit The Tribune
correspondent to make an unofficial but
J authoritative statement of the views ana
/ purposes II the administration and OF
/ the conditions which made this step nee.
/ essary.
The primary purpose of tho adminis-
! tration is 10 put stop to violations OF
/ the neutrality laws which, without
! knowledge of the authorities in WASH
irg,on. assumed proportions which when
thov became known here. appalled, the
administration.
BY n complete control. not only Of IN"
northern boundary Of Mexico by land
/ forces. but OF the two water boundaries
by naval forces. this hloustering will be
rendered absolutely impossible.
II is said that even with this patroi
efficiently maintained, II will require AT
least six months for the Mexican gov
ernment 20 stamp out the guerilla war
fare which is destroying the peace and
prosperity OF the republic.
Invasion Not Contemplate
No invasion OF Mexican territory -
now contemplated by the United states
but should the Mexican authorities prove
unable within a reasonable period. pos
siblv six months or longer. 10 stamp OUT
the warfare. the services of the army
| vouId doubtless be offered for purposes
Of pacfication.
II Is hoped that the curtailment OF
supplies of contraband of war will go far
To assist the government OF Mexico IN
establishing peace and tranquility; bur
u is believed that if Mexico should prove
UNEQUAL 70 that task the good offices OF
this country would be accepted.
II is believed that the death OF Fresi-
dent Diaz or any determined attempt on
the nart Of the opposition to wrest the
control of the government from ms
hands or those of his supporters WOW"
he attended with conditions sraVeN
menacing the lives and property ot tor-
eieners especially Of Americans.
rresence Of an American army alo's
tho northern boundary and OF MARINES
on war vessels near Mexican ports "o""
,ave a noverful moral effect in prevent
i,c such unfortunate developments
Moreover. the presence Of An abundant
military force within striking distance
of practically all parts OF Mexico nus'
proye an assurance and a warning =" "'
foreign nations that there Is no OCCASION
ubatever NAV happen. even TO contem'
n,ata measures for the protection or the'r
national interests. which might be con.
strued by this country as Viola'io" ~
the Monroe Doctrine.
Americans Would Only Restore Order.
Should it become necessary, ultimate
". for American forces to enter MENU"
they would do So solely for the purpoS"
~ restoring order and would doup''esS
do en- unon the condition that generat
election must Immediately follow, thaI
tho successful candidate must not 10
counted out. and that the new eNec".
tive having been duly inauguratea anu
nIaced In control of the government the
American troops would promptly ret're'
The reports which reach Washington
ord which are accepted as authentic IN
dicate that the physical condition OF
President Diaz is all that could nc oe-
s;red hut that owing 10 his advances
400 and Its attendant mental Ills, ts
actual direction OF the government mas
,o,.o,,.od almost entirely on the Secre-
tary OF State. Senior Enrique Greer anu
his associates i'm the Cabinet
It may be pertinent TO add that re-
rorts of friction between the President
and Secretary Knox are wholly grouno'
less: that the only reason the Depart
mont Of state has not been extensively
consulted is that Secretary Knox le'e
Washington on Saturday, March I, AZ
which time the military demonstration
was not contemplated, 1t having peen
first considered on Sunday, the oth' ana
the first orders having been Issued on
Monday, the 9TH.
While hasty action was not actually
demanded by the situation, II was a'-
cided that the utmost expedition at-
| tainable would afford an excellent TEST
of military preparedness and to this ex-
,apt the mobilization of the army under
rush orders partook OF the nature OF
manHuvres.
The manpuvre idea is also To he car
/ ried out in so far as practicable through
out the stay Of the troops in Texas. To
this end there will he a shifting OF the
command in order that the major gen.
erals NAV each have the experience or
commanding a considerable army in
the field"
Advantage in Militia Training
Another feature OF the demonstration
/ which partakes of the nature OF mano'n-
vres is the purpose TO train militia om'
cars I'm connection with the "manpuvrs
division" Nearly two thousand militia
officers have applied for assignment
| with the troops and Il Is expected that.
not less than one thousand Will be 50
assigned.
In the training of these militia officers
tho same scheme as has been pursued
so successfully i'm training militia with
the coast artillery will be adopted. Each
militia officer will be assigned TO a regu-
lar officer OF like rank and will. prob
ably during "A period Of two weeks. act
as understudy to such regular officer.
following him throughout the day. 70