The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-03-11

extensive movement Cf troops and war
vessels ever executed in this country
in time of peace, is now under way.
by order of the President, as COM
mander in chief of the army and navy,
the objective being the country north
of the Mexican boundary and the wa
tcrs of the two oceans at either end
Of it.
Twenty thousand soldiers, more
than one-fourth Of the army of the
United States. of all arms Of the SER
vice. are moving toward the Mexican
boundary; four armed cruisers, COM
prising the fifth division Of the At
lantic fleet, have been ordered from
Northern waters to the naval station,
at Guantanamo, Cuba and most Of
the Pacific fleet is or shortly will be
on its way to assemble at San Pedro,
and San Diego, Cal. and 1000 ma
rtnes are preparing to make the
Guam .anamo station their headquar-
ters.
1t was announced at the White
House and the war and navy depart
ments today that the purpose Of the
great mobilization, unprecedented
save in war time, is the training of
officers and men under service cOnd-
tions and practice. in cooperation
with the land and naval forces. Tn
usual pains were taken by all official
ly concerned in the movement to
give this color to the sudden activity.
but these statements were accepted
with increasing reserve.
There have been many joint man.
oeuvres during the past few years,
but they have been planned far in
advance and carried out without
ripple Of excitement or even of ev.-
dence Of interest even at the White
House. Today the executive Offices
were filed with mystery, the entire
morning was given over to conference
with officials of the war and navy de-
partments. This thick atmosphere of
mystery and the Jealous efforts to
minimize the Importance Of the busi-
ness. lent curious significance to the
fact that Gen. Wood, chief Of staff of
the army, in an effort to elude inter
viewers. slipped out Of one of the
rear wind ows of the Presidents office
and beat a mastcrly retreat through
the secluded portions of the White
House grounds. to a rear entrance Of
the war department.
The real significance Of these ac-
tivities. which have been confined ap-
parently to the last As hours, or less,
is thought TO relate very directly to
the conditions in Mexico and TO the
growing belief that the situation there
is by no means so satisfactory as the
Mexican Government would have it
believed. There are persistent reports
that the physical condition Of Presi-
dent Diaz has lately become such as
to alarm his adherents and that mo-
mentous developments are to be pre-
pared for.
One report, which was current here
today, was that the Pearson syndi-
cate, heavily interested in enterprises
in Northern Mexico, had appealed to
tho British Government for adequate
protection Of themselves and other
foreign interests, in preparation for
the chaotic conditions which would
almost certainly follow any serious
loss of prestige, to say nothing Of the
collapse, Of the Diaz Government. II
was said that the British ambassador
had taken up the question with the
state department here, with the sug-
gestion that unless the United States
took immediate steps to exhibit its
disposition and ability to protect for
eign interests in Mexico, the European
Government, especially England and
Germany, would be compelled to do
so. OF course, no direct confirmation
or this report was obtainable, but the
sudden burst Of martial activity gave
1t color.
Ambassador de la Barra, Of the
Republic Of Mexico. who has been in
New York, returned to Washington
tonight To fulfill a social engagement
and returned at midnight to New
York. He disclaimed any knowledge
OF any change in the internal condi-
tions Of Mexico, and as for the health
ot President Diaz, he insisted that
nothing in the personal or official
communications of the President in
dlcated anything but his usual salts
i'ct'ry condition of health. Moreover.
n" stated that, apart from sporadic