Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-18
NIGHT CONFERENCE
At THE WAR OFFICE
ONB0RDER AFFAIRS
Continued from First Page.)

CONTINUED from First Page.)
| following hot trails over the line, the
draw to the American side and intrench
to repel any attempt to follow them.
Reply May Be Delayed.
The reply to the Carranza note de-
| will leave by special messenger tomor-
row for Mexico City unless develop
| ments upset present plans.
to have been presented on specific orders
of Carranza, would influence President
| Wilson to interrupt the diplomatic ex-
| changes no official would predict.
Gen. Pershings expedition go by mes
| senger 1t will not be delivered for ten
days or two weeks. Its text would not be
made public until 1t had reached its des-
So far as known. the War Depart
ment has taken no additional steps
toward mobilizing the National Guard.
| A peculiar situation has arisen as a
result of the fact that the new army
bill providing for liberalization Of the
militia will go into effect July 1. au-
tomatically repeating the present mill
tia law.
me HeW act requires Stdtc tEOopS,
who participate in federal appropria-
tons to take dual oath Of allegiance
Only the Kansas guard now Is requir-
ed to take such an oath. and unless
all the remaining units take the re-
quired oath before July !, legal hia-
tus will occur in their status which
may prove embarrassing. The atten-
ton Of all governors has been called
to this condition, and they have been
urged to see that their men are prompt
ly sworn in in accordance with the
new law.
Transports Held in Readiness.
This correspondence is said to have
led to reports that the guard Of va
rious states had received orders for
active service on the border.
1t became known yesterday that sew
eral army transports are being held In
readiness for use as refuge ships should
the need arise. Whether any actually
have been ordered to Mexican waters
officials would not say. The navy trans
port Hancock will go to Vera Cruz.
however. as soon as she lands her ma
rine passengers In Santo Domingo. She
should reach Vera Cruz in few days
Oficial advices have indicated that
the recent border raids have created
ony in Mexico City. Many Americans
are said to be preparing to leave. There
are approximately 1000 Americans in
the Mexican capital and loo 800 IN IN n ano
caution. the destroyer mother ship
Panther and a number of destroyers
have been ordered to Key West. ready
for a quick dash to the relief Of Ameri-
cans along the coast 1t is understood
also that other navy craft are being
prepared for emergency use. although
plans have been carefully guarded.
Maj. Gray Sends Report.
message yesterday from Maj. Gray
of the 18th Cavalry gave further details
of the fight at San Ignacio between his
troops and bandits. All OF the bandits
are believed to have been Carranza
soldiers at one time or another, he said,
though 1t was hard to say how many
still were enrolled as such. lieuten-
ants blouse was found; papers on the
bodies of Mexicans bore the stamp OF
the Carranza army, and Maj. Cruz Ruiz,
believed to be a Carranza officer. was
captured.
and ten bombs. left behind by the at
tackers. He also noted that ammuni,
tion used by his assailants included
soft -nosed bullets.
The only new troops movement an
nounced yesterday was orders to an
ambulance company and field hospital.
stationed at Fort D. A. Russell. Wyo..
| to proceed to the border Immediately.
A report from Progreso, Yucatan, re-
ceived at the State Department, said
that fourteen American residents In
| that section had sailed for the United
States within the last few days. o.
| fciaIs said that departure was due
probably to the efforts of consular OFF,
GERS who are encouraging all American
citizens to leave Mexico. No mention
of disturbances at Progreso or in the
state of Yucatan was made.
Civilians Arriving in Sonora.
DOUGLAS. Ariz. June 1.-THE civ
ilian population of Sonora is arming it
self, according to official statements
today of Ives G. Lelevier. Mexican con-
sui here, preparatory to repelling any
attempted aggression by the United
States.
posed of about $50 infantrymen. left
the town hurriedly late today on a spe-
| cial train over the Nacozari railroad.
Their destination was said to be From
teras. twenty-nine miles south. where
approximately 1000 infantrymen under
lGen. Arnulfo Gomez are concentrated.
Gen. P. Elias Gales entire force in
Sonora is estimated at from $4,000 to
| 10000 men, mostly infantry. Gen.
Gales. who is military governor of
| Sonora. telegraphed Gen. Gomez at
Aqua Prieta last night that he would
leave Hermosillo today for the border,
arriving in Aqua Prieta Monday