Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-02-05
us. TO FEED ALL
REFUGEESCOMING
OVER WITH ARMY
GENERAL FUNSTON IS GIVEN AU.
TH0RlTY TO FEED THOUSANDS
FOLLOWING PERSHlNG ARMY.
WILL NOT ONLY FEED THEM BUT
WILL ALSO HOUSE THEM-TO
REMAIN AT COLUMBUS.

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 5.-Rcfugee~ who
ire leaving Mexico In the track or Perish
ug'S army win be- housed and fed bv the
United States government until they arc
ible 10 care for themselves. Ii was an
aounced at Southern department head
quarters Yesterday that General Funston
had been granted authority 10 use wal
department. funds for that purpose.
Arrangements have already been com
1leted for taking care of the refugees.
The Southern department is authorized t.
Ssue rations and forage and will proba-
bly, also be authorized to issue fuel. Ra-
ions are not 10 exceed in cost % cents \
lay for adults and L. cents \ day for
.hildrcn less than 10 wears of aye.
Ii j. believed that this will be sufficient
10 take care of the refugees in comfort.
Ut the price which the government pay>
for groceries = person can he fed very
rheaply. Ii j. lust about half what IL j.
now costing 10 feed men Of the army, but
il was pointed ont that 4 number Of deli
cacie~ included in the army rations viii
10 doubt not be included in the bill of far,
Tor refugees. Army Officers are well sat
istied with the amount authorized and an
icipate NO trouble in providing for dcSti-
'ute ones al those figures.
The refugees are said to consist Of Mex
cans. Americans and several other ma
tionalitieS. They Will b. concentrated ~
Columbus. They will not he guarded and
will he permitted Ia 20 and come a they
please or leave the camp at any time.
However. they must be kept together ion
The purpose Of issuing ration~. Where
refugees have no tcntagc or other quar-
tiers of their own. tents will probably be
furnished by the government.
No information has been received at
Southern department headquarters in re-
understood that they number about three
thousand. General PcrShing advised Gen
eral Funston that the refugee, are desti-
tute and il was upon his suggestion that
General Funston asked permission Of the
war department Ia provide the %rations.
General Pershing did not give the number
which he believed would have To be taken
care of. Newspaper reports have placed
the figures at 5000 and department Off
GERS have unofficial information that the
figures are correct.
Forage for animals i made necessary
because Of The large amount of live stock
that the refugees are bringing from Mexi-
GO with them. Many of them nave dairy
cattle and horoc,. mules and burros which
must be- fed. Ii j. not supposed that the
refugees will b. permitted 10 bring with
them large herds Of cattle ~ be fed ~
government expense but farm stock and
animals which Will be- necessary {" enable
them to RESUME their work viii lac fed.
Nothing which could be moved l. ~al'
80 have been left behind ~ The refugees
Wagons and carts are -ad io lr rilc'
hiah with household effect Hud men and
women arr driving ea.fla and horses hc-
fore them along thc long trail from Co
lonia Dublan.
The march of refugees - said I" he
slow and painful. Those who have wagons
or carts have them heavily loaded. 9th
err are driving burroS and mules with