The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-16
FUNSTON IS MOVING HIS PIECES IN GRIM
 GAME WITH VILLA IN
 ABSOLUTE SECRECY
(Continucd from Page One,

based on the possibility of insubordination
 or of mistaken identity.
 Throughout the day the war depart
 ment maintained rigid silence as to
 border situation. General Funston was moving his pieces in the grim game with Villa behind a curtain of complete secrecy. It probably was the most com- plete censorship the country has ever known. the screen being drawn so close that the department itself was not ad- vised of the crossing until hours after the troops were on the march. I The only dispatch as to the border ! situation received by Secretary Baker during the afternoon dealt with the departure of the Eleventh cavalry from , Fort Oglethorpe, Ga, to reinforce the border patrol.
 RUMORS FLY THICK l Rumors flew about the corridors of
 the war department all day. Some dealt
 with reported fighting on both sides 1 of the border. One said a regiment of
 American cavalry had been annihilated Department officials had no reports on which such statements could have been i founded.
 | Only meagre news bulletins from the ltro9pS-in Mexico are expected. While four correspondents of press associa- tions have been credentialed to accom-
 pany the expedition, they will be under strict censorship Regulations of the war department under which they were i designated give General Pershing ab- solute control over the information they send back. Nothing that could be of value to the enemy will be permitted to 1 pass and such messages as are relayed will be very brief.
 1 At most the expedition will have only 1 field radio sets to keep in touch with the border and official reports will | clog this means of transmitting news. The American people probably will hear of the chase. and of the battle with the bandits, if there is one. in terse of- ficial messages from General Pershing. ] and through the sitting of hte rumors | that reach the American side through Mexican sources
 FUNSTON KILLS RUMORS The announcement of General Funston that the chase was on disposed of ru- mors that were particularly persistent throughout the day that a temporary halt had been called to permit the Carranza troops to carry out plans to capture Villa before American soldiers took up the task At the state department it was said positively that no request from General Carranza for such a delay had been received Neither has any rejoinder come to the reply sent to General Car ranza Monday accepting his proposal for a reciprocal agreement on the border. Secretary Lansing's note clearly stated the position of the United States that the agreement for pursuit of bandits was in force with its acceptance by the United
 States and covered the expedition after
 Villa The silence of Carranza and of-
 ficial advices concerning his attitude
 caused the state department to take it
 for granted that the de facto govern
 rent of Mexico concurred in that view.
 CONGRESS INCREASES ARMY
 While war and state departments were
 busy with these matters, Congress com
 pleted the work begun yesterday the
 Senate concurring in the House resolu-
 tior providing for an increase of the
 regular army to approximately 1200CO
 fighting troops. There was little debate
 and the @ senators in the chamber voted
 unanimously for the resolution.
 Orders had gone forth already for the
 reopening of recruiting offices all over
 the country which have been closed for
 months, and before the Senate voted se---
 eral hundred men already had been en-
 rolled.
 Again today the war department was
 swamped with telegrams and personal
 callers, offering to volunteer services
 should the country need them. Several
 members of the National Guard who
 called on Secretary Baker assured him