The Sentinel=record., 1912-03-30
DISCUSSING
 INTERVENTION
QUESTION OF THE ATTITUDE OF THIS COUNTRY IS TALKED
 OVER AT WASHINGTON.
president Taft Still Maintains That There Is No Necessity of Such a Step While Other off.
 ciais Differ.

Washington. March 29.-A series of rumors concerning the Mexican situa. ton covering every possible phase of activity on the part of the American government from actual intervention and the assemblage of great military &forces on the border down to the dis patch of an embassy guard to the Mexican capital surged through off cial Washington today.
 All the alarmist stories appeared to have had their inception at points where there would be naturally little information of plans of the two gov. ernments. II is quite certain they did not originate in Washington and as the Mexican capital has been cut of from telegraphic communication with the outside world since : o'clock last night, they were attributed to the insurgent press agents. Officials were kept busy today denying stories Of tempering them with additions of facts that deprived them wholly Of sensational features.
 lt was declared by one government
 
 ever. that the United States had per mitted a shipment of arms and ammu- nition to go through to the Madero government
 President Taft does not believe there is ground for intervention and. has not changed that belief as the result of battles in Mexico within the last few days. Consequently it can be stated positively no steps have been taken within that time to strengthen the military force on the AaFaer. nor ta prepare aay expeai tonary force for operations in Mex ican territory. The supposition that anything of importance could be done in that direction without some knowl- edge on the part of the country al large and a direct appeal to con gress, is declared by military authori ties to be absurd upon a mere in spettion of the conditions of the army within the United States at this time.
 Admitting the brunt of a campaign would be borne by the infantry. 1t is apparent that very little of that arm of the service is available for a Mexican campaign. There are in the east only four full regiments of in- fantry and two battleships. ln the central division there are three in- iantry regiments and on the Pacific coast, after the sailing of the next troop ship for Honolulu on April ]. but one infantry regiment will re- main. The total infantry force that could now be gathered for Mexican service without resort to congress and call for the National Guard, wonld be actually smaller than the maneuver division which was assem- bed in Texas under General Custer last year.
 The general staff long ago made Inquiries Of what could be done Tn an emergency The adiutant generals 1f some Of the states with strong militia forces were called upon to in- form General Evans. chief ot the militia division. what proportion of helf men could be depended upon co respond to the summons of the na- uonal government. Officers at the large supply depots were ordered to report what military stores were on hand, their condition and the number oi cars that would be required Tor their transportaitno. Some of inc coastwise steamship stations were asked how many troops they could convey by water to a gulf port rom the north.
 lt vas such quantity as this, though Madero several weeks ago, ts, hanOmH known today. Traffic managers or railroads were consulted as to the Elmber of cars they could assemble al certain specified points. All tnls sounded warlike in the aggregate, put IS solemnly declared by the mlll- lary officials and even by higher au' horities that these were nothlhS more than Precautionary measures and were not to be regarded in any sense as indicating the purpose on 1he part of the administration to be- come involved in the struggle in Mex leo
 Confirmatory of these declarations s the disposition Of naval vessels. ne powerful Atlantic fleet when would play an important part in any intervention campaign was aiioWeu 'o steam north from Cuba, rom where the Mexican coast would have oeen of convenient access. There were left in the gulf and the CarlD- pean sea only eight vessels all told, nothing more than little gunboats and eoiliers, with the exception Of the cruiser Washington. and all incap- able of safely confronting in hostlie attitude even such Qualifications as slard the Mexican ports. Tn iacI the only action on the part Of tns government which might be regardeo as in any way connected with the Mexican situation was the dispatch or aVVO standard Krag rifles from New iofk to arm the American colony ih Mexico City. Even this was done up- on the recommendation of Ampassa, aor Wilson, with the full consent oi sne Mexican government, and with Ahe assurance that the American res