The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-19
Half Million Mexicans Now Living in United States Must Be Cc---1~'dered as a Factor
LATEST FIGURES SHOW TOTA U OF
 S2,758 IN ARMY
The Entire Nation Has Been Pleased by Fine Spirit of Patri0tism- Shown by the National Guard
py uUCH W. RoBERrs


 Washington, March 1S.--tspecial) Incidental with the invasion of Mex leo by American troops, President Will son and Congress must consider and successfully solve two delicate prob lems.
 The first is presented in the fact that the natives of Mexico, whether adherents of Carranza or Diaz or Villa, at heart re- sent the penetration of their country by the soldiers of another government.
 The second is internal and relates to the depleted ranks-the unpreparedness--of the standing army, and the attitude of the 5JoGo0 gentle blood Mexicans who reside in the cities of the United States.
 The situation is hazardous because that which is at stake is the tentative friend- ship existing between this government and the recognized government of Mexico. But for the fact that President Wilson is de- termined to prevent by all honorable means the transformation of the punitive invasion into actual intervention, there would be nio problem save that offered in the resistance of the enemy. The Ma tonal Guard could reinforce the standing army, and Mexicans in America could b@ deported
 THE AVAILABLE ARMY
 1t has long been d fact of general knowledge that the standing army is scarcely worthy of that appellation. An examination of the figures in the war department shows that tue army consists of 35os officers aud 7s252 men,
 The force is distributed as follows:
 In Panama, 6100.
 In Hawaii. 9s52
 In the Philippints, lS.U13.
 In Alaska, 7h9
 In Porto Rico, eSS
 In the United States 4a, a,2s5 Total, 79,252.
 But of the force in the United States, 14,775 men are attached to the coast ar tllery and could be transferred only un- der the most desperate circumstances. It is a safe guess that the government will not order home troops stationed in the a various island possessions. And yet the X sl,5l0 available men will prove insuffi- N cient in number if the punitive invasion 9 should become a more serious enterprise a and that it will, is the guess of many con fservative members of Congress. SECURING NEW RECRUITS To remedy the situation. Congress has authorized an increase of 10000 men in the standing army. Enlisting officers have N1--. T <l ocAo N But despite the recognized patriotism of A the average Amrican. there is fear ex- VI pressed that the several states will not N come forward with their pro rata share N of 800 newly enlisted men. x The war department entertains no such Y idea For last year. without special eff Y fort enlsting officers ushered into ser M vice 4S,O00 men. But at that time there N was no danger of war. much less q fine \ |Aprospect of actual service-arduous and M of long duration. There is no question M but that a call for volunteers would re- M Nccive an answer to make the heart of tho K administration glad But there is fear, as stated that it will require special eff \ fert to enlist 2oOc9 new men in the face Eof actual danger. and without the recom- " penSc OI IalI WdSe dIu the rlSHt OI dylIlS down arms and resuming business when kthe 'insurrection'' is suppressed
 It is therefore the consensus of opinion IthAt unless the Mexican trouble is of short |duration, the government will order the federal guard into service, and accept the ||proposal of countless volunteers who with
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