The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-07-18
Has One Hundred and Fitty-five
Thousand Regulars, Militia
and Reserves Now On Duty
Along TIE Mexican Boundary
GUARDSMEN HELD IN CAMP
7sS FOR BETTER EQUIPMENT

ASSOCIATED Press BY Federal wirslssS.>

ASSOCIATED Press By Federal wirslssSl
WV ASHINGToN, July 1.-THE
Nv United States is now "pre-
" pared" along the, Mexican
border, and the War Department has
essed up on orders rushing troops there.
There are $4,000 American soldiers
along the Rio Grande now, including
the militia, and they are thought to be
capable of handling any emergency that
may arise. The approach Of this great
force is given credit for having caused
the change in tone of the Carranza
diplomatic communications I'LL,
The forces along the border consist
of $4,000 regulars, 100000 national
guardsmen, from all over the Union.
and 5000 reserves. War Department
officials express satisfaction >at the
speed with which such large force was
gathered on the border, and say that il
is competent to cope with any force
that Carranza, even if he should unite
all Mexico under his rule, could bring
against IL. 1t is so distributed as t.
afford protection TO the many border
towns which have been fearing raids
Funston Is Satisfied ...
General Funston, in command of this
biggest American army assembled under
one command since the Civil War, re-
ports generally efficient work by thu
various state commands in equippint
and forwarding their cOntingents. Hi
force is, more than twice the number
that were actually engaged In the waI
with Spain, though not as large as thu
number of regulars and volunteers call
ed out for that war. =.
Charges have been made that some
of the units were, supplied with poor
food and an insufficient quantity, OF
food. None of these charges are con
frmed by the reports of the department
commanders at the front. According tc
all of the reports, none of the hardships
caused by inadequate supplies at the
time Of rapid mobilization when the
war with Spain broke out, have been
repeated this time, and the militia has
not had to suffer any more than the
ordinary hardships naturally incidental
70 transportation and changes Of base.
Is Ready to Strike
Geperal Funston s great army, with
headquarters at San Antonio, lies along
the border ready to strike at a. mo
Inent 3 notice should it become neces-
saTy,, 1t is believed by officials here
that the presence of American troop,
in such force will prevent any more de
fiant or insulting notes from Carranza
and that If in the diplomatic negotia,
tions now pending the latter reaches
friendly understanding with the Wash.
ington government, the Funston army
viii 30 impress Mexicans that Carranzf
will have, an excellent opportunity T.
overpOwer his enemies, and establish
order. Thus, without further invading
Mexico, the American army may be
the means Of crushing the bandit Op
ponents Of Carranza
As the War Department thinks that
Funston now has enough men at hand.
it has ordered department. commander
who are preparing further regiments
for the front to delay sending them al
far as is necessary in order to insure
their having the completest Of equip,
inent. -
Guardsmen Held Up
Orders were sent out last night coun
teTmaanding previous orders for hasty
equipment and forwarding Of troops
This affects about $4,000 militia, in
states where the equipment was not as
complete as in those. which first sent
their soldiers forward. They will, how.
ever, be sent to the border, making the
total American army there under Funs-
ton 10000 men,
According TO a despatch from Gene.
raj Funston, IN added yigor has already
been, given to the campaign in Mexico
by Mexicans, against the bandits, and
this is attributed to the presence of the
powerful American army ready TO make
quick invasion of Mexico If II becomes
necessary. Funston SAYS that the Mexi:
can papers in the territory of Chihua-
hua are urging a specially active cam
paign against the bandits, "tO prevent
them from reaching the America a for.
ces and crossing the border" and thus
n elaab