The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-21
State Department Hears 1t
Is Now Under
Way
ARMY TO BE
PREPARED
National Guard c avalry
May BE Mobil-
lied

Washington, March 2l.-Plans are be
ing laid by the army general staff in an
ticlpatlon of the enactment this week OF
a compromise measure for the increase
of the army founded or the Hay bill in
the House and the Chamberlin bill in
the Senate.
The staff is calculating on the neees-
sity OF mobilizing a sufficient force 20
patrol the Mexican border in case of a
prolonged campaign after Villa.
While government officials are con
fdent that Carranza will not voluntar.
lily join with Villa against American
troops, there is an increase in anxiety
as TO whether Carranza can control his
own men. A clash sooner or later be-
tween Americans and Carranzistas, if
General Pershing is kept on the trail I'M
til he gets Villa, is regarded as inevita-
Bile.
None of the officials in the war or state
department. is predicting anything, while
the general staff is getting ready for an
immediate increase in the army in ac-
cordance with pending legislation.
Members of the staff are certain that
the compromise army measure will put
the National Guard at the immediate dis
posal OF the government. 1t is figured
that ninety regiments of cavalry are
necessary to patrol the 1000 miles of
border line The National Guard, under
| Legislation expected at an early date, can
be called upon to provide portion OF
this force Plans COR the mobilization
of the National Guard cavalry regiments
are being worked out. As federalized
National Guard viii be an entirely new
institution the department is not well
prepared to meet it, and at the best
and under the most critical circumstances
a considerable delay is to be expected.
The governments attitude with re-
gard to intervention has not undergone
the slightest change. If troops are massed
on the border for patrol duty or in pre-
paration for a real invasion of Mexico |
1t will be because OF necessity.
The state department has informa
tion OF an unofficial character of plot |
to force Intervention by getting Carran- /
"a troops to cooperate with Villa. If !
this combination is effected on sulii
GENTLY large scale it win mean a much |
bigger expedition than is now in the field
and probably the paeiication of northern
Mexico.
1t is not new report that plotters
are trying to force the United States
into Intervention. From the beginning
it has been conceded that the purpose of
the raid on New Mexico was to bring
about intervention. Agents OF the de-
partment of justice have been busy
tracking the plotters ever since the at
a r. - L. MS ~Is
cials here indicates that the plotters are
making Roadway rather than being check
mated.
Garranza has given no response TO
President Wilson's notes on the reciprocal
agreement for crossing the border in
pursuit of raiders. The impression is
that Carranza has his ear to the ground,
and that if demand for opposition to
the "gringoes" is made by his followers
he win not resist popular sentiment.
Reports from General Funston indicate
that General Gavira and he are working
in accord. Every effort is being made
10 convince Carranza that the United
States assurances mean just what they
say. The consent of Carranza is being
sought for the use of the Mexican north
western railroad for the shipment of sup
plies from FL Paso into Mexico and OIL
.ials here say that if Carranza refuses
% consent the railroad will not be seized
"There is absolutely no intention of
Communicating the road" high official
If the government said yesterday. IF
consent for its use is not forthcoming H
supplies will have to be toted in. that's /
Lno
Only by the quick success of the Perish
ne expedition is it believed that a long
md arduous campaign calling for the
Ise of all the country's available mill
airy resources can be prevented. Gener-
] Pershing is under orders to conclude
lis expedition into Mexico as soon as pos
ible. This has suggested that the troops
night be called out of Mexico as soon
5 the administration is convinced that
lila bands have been dispersed.
Some officials of the war department
re inclined to the view that the real
bject of the expedition is the dispersal
{ Villas followers. Others declare that
he one object is to get him and that
lere has been no change in the plan
riginally announced by the president
fter a conference with his cabinet.
Plans Under consideration by the gen
al staff to be in readiness for the inn
ediate use of the National Guard when
lie army preparedness" measure is
used Indicate that the expedition will
carried to its logical conclusion wheth-
or not a junction is effected between
lie Villa and the Carranza forces.
II