Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-21
To Be Demobilized by Nov
ember l. Unless Nego-
tiations Fail. a
CITIZEN ARMY 100000
Commands Still in Training Camps
Going to Border if Railroad Trouble
is Settled. -

Washington, Aug. 20-Unless the
Joint commission for the settlement
of all issues between the Unlted
States and Mexico fails to come 70
an amicable understanding, the Ma
tional Guardsmen now on the DOR
der, will be ordered to return to their
home States and will be demobIl'zed
about November 1.
This is information which 1t IS
claimed comes from an absolutely re-
liable cource. Definite plans for tie
return of the State troops have net
been made, of course. Any SUN al
rancement would be obviously prerna-
ture at this stage Of the Mexican
negotiations, out tentative program
has been discussed, predicted upon
the success Of the joint commissions
efforts.
This tentative program contemplate
es the release of the State troops
| lust as soon as peace treaty w!fh
Mexico is effected; that is, as soon
as the administration is convinced
that the defacto government is in a
position to safeguard the rights Of
foreigners in Mexico and to prevent
further raids across the American
line.
President Wilson, it is known, does
not want to keep the GnaFasmen IN
the field one day longer than natlonal
necessities require. He would ike
to be able even now to assure all OF
the State troops that they Will De
home at least month before Thanks
giving, but such assurance cannot be
given as long as any of the issues
between the United States and Mexico
remain unsettled.
The tentative plan Of ordering the
National Guard home some time
around November l, will not interfere
in any way with the decision OF tne
administration to dispatch all remain
ing guard commands now under or
dcrs to the border. Only the unce~-
tainties in connection with the threat
cned ra,iroad strike hold up the troop
movements. Once 2 settlement CT the
wage dispute is Effected, the militia
organizations now iii training VII! be
moved to the front.
From tl,e same source comes the
definite information that there are
now 1000 National Guardsmen scat
tered along the Mexican border. The
War Department has consistently re-
fused to give out any figures as to
fthe exact number Of militiamcr now
in the field, the NUMBER in camp in the
various states and the number which
were excluded for the original nobi-
lization order.
1t is learned, moreover, that ap-
proximately 10000 guardsmen ere
still in training camps. The recent
order dispatching all equipped units
to Texas affected $4,000 men. This
would indicate that about 5000 9th
err guardsmen are unprepared for ir',
mediate campaigning.
! The further fact leaked out that
10 state regiments for one reason or
another were not included in the mol
.lization order. Most Of these COM
rrands are far undermanned, While a
few Of them were left out for ,s'1ase-
eie purposes. 1t seems, therefore,
} from the information available today
= that there are in round numbers 49,
900 National Guardsmen under arms
and something like $4,000 more IN
. reserve. This would give the country
, a militia army Of 10000 men: CT
which, 145,hO0 will be seasoned sd
diers by the time they are demobllized.
The strength of the National Guard
six months ago was scarcely more
: than 25,OD0 men, which means thas
recent recruiting has been unezpect-
edly successful.