Arizona republican., 1917-02-18
ORDER ENTIRE !. '.'''-l5 GUARD FORCE
 DEM0b|L|zED
[Repuplican A. p. Leased wirel


 WASHINGTON, Feb. 17,-Coincident with the reopening of the American embassy in Mexico the big army of na- tional guardsmen that was concen- trated on the border on account of bandit activities will he in process of dissolution. orders were issued by the war department today directing Gen eral Funston to begin the immediate demobilization of all the guard units remaining in border camps. and it is expected that the last troop train will ba on its way north by March T.
 General Funston still will nave on the border nearly 50,000 troops. all on the regular army, disposed along the line from Brownsville to Yuma Ariz., on plans worked out by the general statf The command includes all of the troops who were in MeSicO under General Pershing and their distribution vas carried out under the direction or General Eben Swift, who was with the Pershing expedition. General Pershing will remain at Fl Paso, where he is commanding a division including the largest cavalry unit on the line.
 Secretary Bas,c- v--iPsus.zeG that the wirn4ra ~sz1 of the state troops is in no way connected with the crisis with | Germany. but carries out policy de- cided on long ago by the administra- ' tion. The order was issued after Gen eral Funston had reported that with ! the new disposition of regulars, he felt | that he had enough men to meet any exigencies that might arise. Many guard units already had been ordered | nome during the past few weeks and | tn number of guardsmen remaining to be demobilized under today's order is about 53.000 Administration officials l place entire confidence in General Fun stons opinion that the force of regulars will be sufficient They are understood ! to have been convinced by the reports | of special observers for the state de- partment and the army that while it may be possible for Villa and Zapata 1 followers to commit minor depreda- | tions in the sparsely settled region ] west of Fl Paso. there is little possi- bility of a recurrence of raids in the lower Rio Grande country.
 | It also is desired that the Carranza government be embarrassed as little as possible in it's efforts to control Mex ico and the maintenance of a large ar my al the Border has been a constant cause of complaint from MeXicans The reduction is expected by officials
 here to have a beneficial effect on rela- tiOns between the two countries espee- | tally just now when diplomatic inter course is being resumed.
 Ambassador Fletcher took with him
 to Mexico a mass of memoranda or
 subjects that the United States has in
 structed Eim to take up with the Mex ican government It is expected he vii
 call at the Mexican foreign office Mon
 day to present his credentials.
 A memorandum on the killing o thu ee Americans south of Hacnita. \
 NJ, is being prepared here and will b' forwarded to him early next week witt Instructions that he make representa-
 tions to the de facto government
 Rejoicing in Ranks
 FL PASO, Feb. 17.-General rejoic ing occurred in all of the nationa
 guard camps on this part of the borde
 tonight when the war department or
 ders for all militia troops to return home became generally known. Pa
 rades were held through compan,
 streets, mock bands, organized witt
 dish pans. trumpets and drums for in
 struments and the commanding off cers serenaded.
 At military headquarters late toda, 1t was said no official orders had beei
 eceived from department headquarter regarding the dates for departure o the various units encamped here. Alp proximately 10000 regular troops vii
 be left on the border here.