Norwich bulletin., 1916-07-04

Washington, July 3.-While the di- plOmatiC aspects of the Mexican diff culty showed no change tonight, war department measures for a new dis tributiOn of the border patrol clearly indicated that months of active ser vice along the frontier await the thousands of national guardsmen gathering in the south from all parts of the country. Only the appointment Of a general officer to supreme com mand is lacking now to complete ade- quate administrative machinery not only for border operations but for q campaign of any desired proportions in Mexico should general hostilities come.
 Frontier to be Divided.
 Under the new plan the 1900 mile frontier will be divided so that the southern and western military de- partments will take care of the east ern and western eXtrenities of the line respectively. Major General Frederick Funston, relieved from re- spOnsibility for the entire border at his own recommendation, will continue in command of the southern depart ment, while Major General J. Franklin Bell, commanding the western depart ment, will transfer his headquarters from San Francisco to Douglas Ariz., to be in direct touch with his share of the border work.
 Pershing Offered Command.
 The mid-section of the border line embracing all territory between Fl PasO and point near Douglas, and reaching nOrthward to the Colorado state line, will be known hereafter as the department of New Mexico. Cn- der it's jurisdiction will fall the ex- petition into Mexico, based at Colum- bus, N. M, and Brigadier General John J. Peershing, now commanding the eX- pedItlOnary force, has been offered the post of department commander.
 A message went to General PerSh- ing today asking if he desired to as sume the duties of department chief in addition to those which now fall to him as commander in the field.
 Troops Drawing Nearer Border.
 The expedition is believed to have virtually completed the movement be- gun ten days or more ago, when Gen eral Pershing, for strategic reasons, ordered the lines drawn in closer to the border. The war department has no definite information as to the eX- act whereabouts of the various camps, but 1t is thought that the most ad- vanced patrols now are within 15O miles of the border.
 No Reply From Pershing.
 No reply had been received from General Pershing late tonight It is possible that he will see difficulties in the way of combining command of the new department and of the expedi- uonary force under one head. In that case there are indications that he would be expected to relinquish direct command of the expedition and estab- fish his headquarters at some point on the border where he could give personal attention to it's need and also supervise the disposition and training of the thousands of national guards men soon to be added to the portion of the line within the new department The war department has suggested Fl PaSO for department headquarters; but left the final choice to General PerShing. With the line of cOnmu- nications greatly shortened, the gen. eral still would coordinate the oper- atiOns of the various regiments now beyond the line, probably with the senior colonel assigned to direct com mand of the expedition.
 In this connection officials here are known to be considering the effect this course might have on General Carran- za's suspicious as to the real pur- poses of the American government The expedition, without a general off cer in command, would lose something of it's significance in military eyes, it is said, and could be viewed as noth- ing more than the policing force it was designed to be. Some officials eral CaTanza.
 Submission of the dual command proposal to General Pershing, however, was viewed here as confirming the often reiterated statement that Presi- dent Wilson is not now considering withdrawal of the expeditionary force from Mexico. Final decision as to his course will await the formal reply to Secretary Lansing's note demanding that General CaTranza explain his hostile orders to his troops in the vii Cinity of the eXpeditionary columns.
 Pershing's Orders Not Changed.
 It can be stated on the highest au- thority that General Pershing's orders have not been changed in any respect and that the shortening of his lines was made necessary by purely mili- taIy questions of supply and defense deterLpined by. himself and General E6nRton without, reference to Wash Sngton. Complete lack of any local supplies of forage, as well es the ap- parent immtnence of @ Mexican at lack in force led General Pershing to order his men northWard. Northern ,EIexico has experienced many dry weeks. The result has been that the m otor trains have had to carry south everything conaurneda by the command and ita mounts.
 z atatsment by Mexican Ambassador. EIisea Arredondo, Mexican ambas- ! sador- designate, pointed out today Z kthatz4he movement of the xAmerican