The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-25
MILITARY ORDERS
FLY THICK AND FAST
IN SENDING TROOPS
TO MEXICAN BORDER
Continued from page one)

are three brigades in this division. It
will be necessary to charter from 10 to
10 merchant steamers of large size to
accommodate the remaining two brigades
The quartermaster's department has a
would cost on an average of s7oo a
day for each ship to keep them ready
for service, the war department has avail
ed incurring any such large liability.
SO in all probability it will remain for
the next administration to authorize this
expenditure il 1t sees fit.
Anxiety Is Felt
feeling of anxiety over the situation
In Mexico continued throughout official
circles during the early part of the day,
but there were no additional dispatches
made public to throw further light on tn :
conditions existing.
Ii was felt that Ambassador Wilson's
message late last night stating that the
diplomatic corps would not attend the
luncheon to be given this noon to dis
cuss the situation would prove a suffi-
cient indication to the Mexican authori-
ties of the purpose of this and other gov
ernments to await definite assurances that
the bloody tragedies just enacted had not
occurred through any conniyance of the
Mexican administration. - :
While this has been asserted in the
statements made by Provisional President
HGerta and Minister De La Barra, yet
assurances were at the same time given
OF a searching inquiry which would Of
floially determine the exact circumstances
under which the tragedies occurred.
Chief activity was manifested at the war
department where additional plans for the
mobilization of more troops were being
made, the expectation being that the order
would be issued during the forenoon.
Publication of statement that Presi-
dent-eect Wilson had requested Secre-
taries Knox and Stimson and Maj. Gen.
Leonard Wood to meet him at Burlington,
N. j., next Tuesday to confer upon the
Mexican situation led Secretary Stimson
to issue this statement:
Il have no such notification. | believe,
however, that all members of Mr.. Taft s
administration should stand ready to give
to Governor Wilson and the members OF
his cabinet all information possible as to
the situation in their respective depart
ments."
1t will not be possible to act Immediate
ly and accommodate all the Second di-
vision troops ON the reservation, and a
number must be sent TO Texas City.
seven miles distant, and at Houston. None
of the regiments of the brigades is up to
war strength. The entire Second division
as it exists now will aggregate less than
5000 lighting men, with perhaps 1900 aux
iiiaries. Theoretically this column should
be 1900 strong.
= President Taft has declared that he has
not changed his policy in that regard as
a resi- ult of the latest developments in the
Mexican capital, and it remains true that
probably only the extreme jeopardy of
Americans and foreigners in Mexico would
lie regarded as sufficient for a departure
from that policy.
The American consul at Tampico says
the public in the Tampico Tuxpam dis
tricts generally approve of the Huerta
government, and that normal conditions
are prevailing. In Chichuahua, however.
signs of considerable resistance to the
new government are reported, volunteers
in the southern part having declared
against 1t. Arrest of state authorities on
a charge of endeavoring to reseat Madero
has added further trouble.
Developments of the last "a hours ap-
parently have not changed the general
sentiment in Congress against any i'm
mediate action toward American interven-
ton. A number of special agents and a
former close friend of the late Vice Pres
ident Suarez were in conference today at
the capital with Senators Smith and Fall
of the Senate committee investigating
Mexican border affairs. The men had
previously testified before the committee,
however. and 1t was understood their
presence had no bearing upon recent de-
velopments.