The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-26
REVIEW OF SITUATION

| Gnerdl unSLOn message was com prehensive review of the situation on the border and in the region where General ] Fershings columns are believed to be closing in on the bandits. Secretary Ba- ker announced that it stated positively, l as a matter of military information, that 1 there had been no strengthening of Car l ranza garrisons at Mexican border towns since March 10, the day after the Colum- bus raid.
 | The secretary added that the depart | ment had not asked for the report. Gen. | eral Funston had been informed he said, | Of the wide circulation of alarming re- ports as to the massing of Mexican troops
 near American towns; but had not been i asked to investigate for the information l of the. department.
 I While it's text was not made public, it was learned that the message also gave the location and strength of Carranza 1 garrisons not only along the border, but | throughout all the territory involved in l the pursuit of Villa. The geographical location of these forces with relation to | the American expeditionary columns was | made clear and the extent of the cooper | ation they are giving.
 1 Officers after reading the dispatch said l the situation in Mexico was most satis- l actory Officials also were impressed by l General Obregons statements telegraphed 1 to the state department today. The Car 1 IdDZd War munster ana military cnlef 1 said there was no friction between the
 tvo governments; that adequate Mexican.
 forces were cooperating with General {, Pershing, but that more would be sent 1 if necessary.
 THINK END IS NEAR l With this statement and General Fun stons report, high army officials were satisfied that the end of the pursuit was near. It is known that there are l 35,000 Carranza troops in the state of Sonora, shutting off all escape for Villa | to the west
 1 Officials welcomed the report today | from Queretaro, the present seat of gov- ernment in Mexico that a favorable de-
 cision on the proposed protocol had been
 handed by General Carranza to James l.. 1 Rodgers, American special representative. | The agreement was worked out at the l suggestion of General Carranza, by Eli | seo Arredondo, ambassador designate | from the defacto government, and Coun- l selor Polk of the State Department It | provides for contingencies that may arise
 during the joint pursuit of Villa, includ- | ing the use by American troops of MeXi- i can railroads It was stated officially | that if the general outline were approved l by General Carranza. the pact virtually was completed There will be no delay here over arranging details.
 lnQ1cauOnS are that CeNeral FunStOH will be able to employ the Mexican roads perhaps tomorrow in supplying his far | stretching lines, thus relieving an in- creasng serious problem.
 /; Measuring official reports from many I parts of Mexico continued to reach the l state department today. Among these | were telegrams from Nogales and Piedras 1 Negras reporting continued quiet. The settlement of the railroad strike was
 reported from Eagle Pass
 RAID IS DENIED | Other developments of the day included
 authoritative denials of the reported raM | on Gibson's ranch and the killing of three Americans: General Obregon's re- i pudiation of the report that Luis Her
 rera and his men had revolted, already denied from every official source. and Secretary Lansings assurances to MT. | Arredondo that ammunition shipments to 1 loyal Carranza troops would not be de- layed.
 | With all the official advices of today at hand it appeared possible tonight that
 the Senate republicans might delay fur ther action to force additional troop movements to the border. The sugges- | tion that the National Guard be called out was rejected by the cabinet yester- day, not only because there was no off, I flcial confirmation of the reported threat ! ening conditions but because it was i feared such action might be construed | in Mexico as preparation for interven- tion.
 | The White House, war department and members of Congress have been deluged with offers of services from state troops
 and prospective volunteers for days. All