South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-23
MEX|CANS GAN
MUSTER OVER
4 MILLION

figures are based on careful eSti-
mates made by Harry II. Dunn, form
er news editor OF La Prenza and the
Daily Mexican of Mexico City. He
wrote the following analysis OF the
military situation for the Interna-
tional News Service:
BY HARRY III. DUNN.
When / entered Mexico, rather
more than six years ago, Manuel Con
zales Cosio was minister OF war. i
gained. as a newspaper man, an in
innate acquaintance with him, with
several OF the officers under him and
made q close study Of the army and
navy, small as the latter is, and have
had IN excellent opportunity TO COM
psre the armies OF Mexico under the
presiGencies of Porfirio Diaz. Fran
cisco I. Madero. Francisco Leon de la
Barra and VictOrianO Huerta. The
army did not figure much in the &C.
minute presidency Of Pedro Lascur-
ian.
Porfirio Diaz lost his grip on Mex
leo largely because more than half
his army existed only on paper. When
the MOdero revolution started, the
files of the war department showed
that the federal government had 49,
296 men under arms, in all branches
of the service.
Many Fictitious Names.
When the troops began actually to
go out into the field. however. Ii was
discovered that there were only about
5000 who responded to the roll call.
More than 10000 others were ficti-
tious names. padded into the rolls.
whose pay each month went into the
pockets of certain officials who went
to Europe quite suddenly when Diaz
suddenly discovered how he had been
tricked.
Francisco Madero. who, when he
became president. in the fall of 1911,
started a reorganization Of the army,
was not so deceived; neither WAS Cen.
Victoriano Huerta, when he became
president by the overthrow OF Ma
derO in 1913. The Mexican army to-
day is composed of approximately
$4,000 men, infantry, cavalry and
artillery. 1t is nearly three times as
large as II has been in 40 years. and
it is the most efficient body of fighting
men Of any nation south of the Rio
Grande.
$4,000 Rebels I'm North.
In the north of Mexico, this area,
according to General CarranZa's fig
ures substantiated by reports of
American refugees from Hermosillo.
JuareZ. Ojinaga. ToTreOn. Gomez
PalaCiO and Culiacan approximately
AZ, 900 men are under arms for the
forces of the various rebel leaders.
Gen. Francisco Villa, who is in chief
command of the rebel armies, an
nounced on April Is that the entire
army of the rebels would take COM
mon cause with General Huerta's
forces against the United States.
General Carranza's attitude at
present indicates that Villas state
ment was correct.
Rebels Well Armed
In southern Mexico which is TO say
in the states of Mexico. TlaXcala,
MorelOs. Guerrero, Puebla, Oaxaca
and parts of Vera Cruz, there are be-
tween 10000 and 90, 600 rebels, all
mounted. all well armed and plenti-
fully provided with ammunition.
They are under the general command
Of the Zapata brothers. EmilianO and
Eufemio, and in direct charge of sew
eral minor leaders such as Genevievo
de la o. Jesus Moral. Joaquin Mi
randa and the norOtriOus woman rev
Olutionist, Margarita Neri.
Emiliano Zaparta has been in re-
volt continuously since February,
1911. l campaigned with him three
weeks in 1911 and saw him again in
1912 at his mountain stronghold, FL
Jilguero, on the boundary between
the states OF Guerrero and Puebia.
on both occasions he told me that
his forces would be submitted imme-
diately TO the federal government if
any foreign nation attempted to in
wade Mexico
Emiliano Zapata. who is the real
leader. his brother being merely an
auxiliary, having been importing am
munition through the ports of the
Gulf of Mexico and through Sijuat-
ane1O. on the Pacific coast of Mexico
for nearly four years As his forces
received new armament OF MauSerS
and ammunition for them, they gave
their repeating rifles and ammunition
to the Mexican men and women who
were staying az home raising corn
and beans for the lighting rebels to
eat. All we're rebels. merely some
were passive others were active In
rebellion.
Women Effective Fighters.
This distribution Of rifles and am
munitiOn has created a silent but po-
tential force OF nearly 900 more
men and women-for in Mexico's in
ternal wars. the women have fought
side by side with the men with equal
effeCtiveneSs-whO are in duty bound
to respond to Zapata's call. should he
deem il necessary TO raise a larger
force for any purpose.
He has won almost undisputed
possession of the states of MoreloS.
needs no more soldiers against the
federal government. A foreign war,
however, would be another matter.
and though 1 have not included this
band of farmers in my estimates or
the MeXicans who would oppose the
advance Of the American army i have
no doubt that they also would join.
But all the men under arms in Mex
ico-pIacing the combined northern
and southern rebels at 1000, and the
federal army at S3.00O-are only a
fraction of the force which Will be
raised, the horde which began FORM
ing itself nearly two years ago Ito re-
pei a foreign foe"
President Madero sent an order in
MAY. 1912. 10 the governor Of every
state in Mexico TO form, arm and drill
$4,000 volunteers in each state. These
volunteers as they enlisted. were given
signed pledges by the federal govern
ment that they should not be called to
war except in case OF invasion by a
foreign foe.
FORT WORTH. Texas, April "a
Army officers at San Antonio, FL PaSO
and Galveston today received advices
from Washington TO prohibit the ship