Evening journal., 1911-03-08
STIR OVER
WAR ORDERS
Army and Navy Circles at
Washington AGitated by the
Mexican Situation
PREPARATIONS MAKING
FOR SOME REAL ACTION
SIGNIFICANT FACTS RE-
GARDING BIG "WAR GAME"

. SIGNIFICANT FACTS RE-
GARDING BIG "WAR GAME" =
Two hundred rounds OF BALL .
ammunition issued per man.
All leaves of absence indefinite
ly suspended.
Unprecedented haste and sec
recy in preparing for "manoeuv-
ers"
No Congressional appropriation Z"
for "manoeuvers" available.
Quarter masters and commits
sary officers ordered TO buy sup
plies without time limit.
Sudden return of Mexican Am
bassador to Washington from New :
York.
Coast artillery drawn upon to
reinforce infantry regiments.
Army transports long unused
and unfit for sea duty ordered into .
commission.
President Diaz reported to be in .
serious physical condition, with
death imminent
Persistent reports that England
and Germany have suggested
American Intervention in Mexican y
revolution.
American interests in Mexico
now amount to S1,5OO,OOO,OOO.
.
BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. March S-Not since
the days preceding the Spanish war
has official Washington been so stir
red as it is today by the sudden mob
ilzation of one fourth of the standing
army on the Mexican border.
The official statement OF yesterday
that the vast movement Of troops was
merely for the purpose Of holding
maneuvres, was practically forgotten
today IN view Of the reported imnli-
nent death Of President Diaz Of Mex
leo and the insistent threats of Eu-
ropean countries that they will inter
fere unless the United States proved
its ability to handle the situation.
Army men laughed up their sleeves
at the official explanation. In all his.
tory, no maneuvre was ever ordered
In such haste or in such manner
they say.
ITO a man who understands arm.
orders, It Is apparent that thre
troops are being moved for business
purposes = declared an officer today.
Bullets Not For Sham Battles.
1t was pointed out that II the
troops we're going south for maneu
vres only it would not be necessar,
for them to carry 200 rounds of bal
ammunition as ordered. Bullets ar,
not used I'm sham battles.
ronorfnr r. limited pros,
asked Secretary of War Dickinson
how long the 'maneuvres" had beer
planned, but the secretary evaded the
question, and remarked:
THAT would be saying how Ions
General Woods mind might have beer
working on it."
General Wood himself admitted tha
no plans had been made for the ex
tensive war game. He parried al
questions as to how long he had beer
considering the ''maneuvres.
"Why. General Carter will work ou
his own war game; we will leav'
/ that TO him." said Wood.
A feeling of keen anticipation wal
/ apparent in army. navy and MARINE
circles. all of which reflected in i'm
tensifed form the general interest o
the public.
The excitement among the wive
and families Of officers suddenl.
ordered 10 the front was one of thl
most marked indications of the ser
iousness of the situation. Few arm.
men treated the matter lightly. ]
was a serious announcement in an.
families in posts throughout tn
country.
Sudden Return of Minister.
Much comment was caused here b.
the sudden return of Mexican Minis
ter De La Barra yesterday from M
York, as he had gone there, it wa
learned. today, to meet Minister O
Finance Limantour, who arrived iron
Paris last night A summons so i'm
portant as to force him TO leave Ney
York a few hours before Limantou
arrived, is taken as a connecting lin
in the sudden developments of the sit
uation.
AS an evidence of the serious vie,
of the situation taken here the Wash
ington Post today, I'm a two column
feature display on its first page give
a chronological record of the event
leading up to the war with Spain, in
Producing it as follows:
''The dispatch Of war ships an
10000 troops to the border betwee
Mexico and United States where "a
insurrection. accompanied by blood
shed has existed for several months
for the purpose of maneuvres. accord
ing to the White House statement. re
calls the tragedy of the battleshi
Maine in Havana harhor in 1895"
Appropriations for joint maneuvre
are almost always specifically mad
by Congress, but at the present tim
there is practically not a dollar in tn
Treasury available for such purposes
The quartormaster and commissar
officers were ordered to buy supple
without limit, instead of for da6nit
peroid.
Every official move indicates PREF
aration for real action, and not fc
practice maneuvers.