Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-07-04
Troops Being Distributed
for Long Campaign Of
Months of Service.
HAVEN'T APPOINTED A
SUPREME COMMANDER
Pershing Has Been Asked to
Assume Duties of Chief
by Washington.

WASHINGToN, July S.-Whi'e
" the diplomatic aspects OF the
Mexican difficulty showed no change
tonight war department measures for
new distribution of the Eorder pa
troll clearly indicated that months of
active service along .he 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 IL backing now TO complete ade-
uuate administrative machinery not
only for border operations hut for
campaign OF any desired propoI'
tons In Mexico. should general hos
tilities cone
Under the new plan tho i,SOO-mile
frontier will be divided SO that the
routherE and western military de-
artments will take care of the east
ern and western eXt,cmitles OF the
line respectively. MAJ or-GeneraI
Frederick Funston. relieved from re-
sponsibillty for the entire border at
his own recommendation. Will con-
tnue In command of the southern de-
partment. while Major j..
Franklin Fen, commandinE the west
ern department. will transfer his
headquarters from San Francisco to
Douglas, f'iz., to be in direct touch
with his shlle of the border work.
The midi ction Of the border line.
embracing territory between FL Paso
!, and n point near Douglas and reach
ing northwlrd to the Colorado state
line. will be known hereafter as the
department OF New Mexico. Under
It's Jurisdiction will fall :he expedi-
tion into Mexico based at Columbus,
n. NJ, and I}rigadic>- General John j.
Pershing, now commaLdirg the expe-
dictionary force has been offered tho
post of department commander
Tender Pcrshing Command.
A message went to General Pcrsh-
ing today asking If he desired to NJ.
sumo the duties OF department CHIEF
in addition to those which now fall to
him as commander in the field. ThL
expedition is believed TO have about
completed tho movement begun ten
days or more ago when Generai
Pershing sor strategic reasons ordered
the lines drawn in closer to the bor
der. The war department has no def
mite information a. to the exact
Whereabouts OF the various camps
but II thought that the most advanced
patrols now are within 80 miles OF
the border
No reply had been received from
General Pershing at "A late hour to-
day. It IL possible that he will see
difficulties In the way OF combining
command OF the new department and
of the expeditionary force under one
head. In that case there are indica-
tons that he would be expected to
rellnquish direct command Of the eX-
pedition and establish his headquar-
ters at some point on the border
where he could give personal atten-
ton to its needs and also supervise
the disposition and training of the
thousands of national guardsmen soon
to be added to the portion OF the line
within the new department
The war department has suggested
El PasO for department headquarters,
but left the final choice to General
Pershing. Within the line OF COM
municltions. greatly shortened, the
general still could coordinate the
operations OF the various regiments
now beyond the line. probably with
the senior colonel assigned to direct
command Of the expedition.