The Washington times., 1929-03-12
BIG FORCES
ARE NEAR .
SCENE Of
TEST
CONTINUED from First Pasel
rison at Naco and taken possession
Of the town.

rison at Naco and taken possession
Of the town.
NoGALES, sonora, Mexico, March
IL u.N.S.).--Lending color to reports
received in .Nogales, Ariz., that seri.
Gus trouble had broken out In rebel
ranks at Naco, Sonora, all important
rebel leaders here today went into
executive war council, barring all
newspaper men and permitting none
but rebel officials to enter head
quarters. :,
simultaneously, it was announced
that orders had been received from
Gen. Jose Gonzalo Escobar, COM
mander.in-chfef Of the revolution,
directing Gen. Francisco Manzo to
withdraw, the Nogales troops south.
ward In event OF federal attack
In order to prevent any casualties
In Nogales,i Ariz;
Manzo today moved his family
across the border to the American
side to place them out Of dangers
way. 80
The rebel government today as
Ressed heavy taxes on Chinese bust
ness establishments in Nogales.
Many Chinese places Of business
closed.
MONTERREY, NJEvo LEON,
Mex, March IL u.N.S.).-General
Almazan announced this afternoon
he expects to leave by special
train for Saltillo to meet the
rebels.
He will be accompanied by five
American correspondents.
An airplane flew over, Saltillo
today and reported the rebels
were entrenched there. General
AlmaZan. should arrive in Saltillo
some time tonight.
Gen. Plutarco Elias Gales. former
president and now war secretary. is
lnassing 10000 federals opposite the
rebels on the Torreon front for bat
tie WHICH may decide the outcome
of the revolution.
Another important engagement is
threatened at, .Saltillo, where the
rebels have entrenched In the path
that Gen. Juan Andreu Almazan
must take to join forces with Cen
eral Gales.
According to advices received
here General Gales army of the
center was within so miles Of the
main rebel positions on the Toreeon
front early today. A general action
was expected within "a hours.
Troops Rushing Up
Long lines OF troop trains, carry
ing reinforcements and large guam
titles Of artillery and airplane parts
rolled northward all night through
Aqua Calientes, Zacatecas and Goa
hula, all headed for the front. Gem
eral Gales strategy called for the
concentration of 10000 troops and
heavy forces Of artillery as well as
bombing planes.
It. was expected that, in addition
to bombarding the rebel positions
with artillery and planes, General
Gales would employ about $4,000
troops in a grand assault upon the
rebel works.
The rebels, so far as known here,
have less than 10000 troops on the
Coahuila- Durango frontier.
federal government absolute control
In that state.
Gen. Jesus M. Aguirre is stifl in
hiding with a handful of followers.
His brother faces court-martial.
A major battle of the revolution
now appears imminent at, Torreon
where General Escobar's troops still
remain firmly entreDched behind
the Gibraltor.like range of hills sur
rounding the city.
A squadron of federal airplanes
which flew over Ioreon yesterday
came back with estimates of the SIZE
Of Escobar's force ranging from
5000 to 10000 men.
81 The first airplane observer to re-
turn to the federal column north OF
Canitas told Of seeing troop move
ments in the city with the rebels
apparently leaving the southern
portion of the city unprotected.
This gave rise to reports thar
Escobar was evacuating the city.
Later flights over the city, how.
ever. revealed that the rebels were
concentrating behind the hills in the
northern and central sections Of the
city.
The fact that Escobar's troops
are now estimated at between 5000
and 10000 men indicates that he
has received rebel reinforcements
from the north. When he was
forced to evacuate Monterrey last
week his force was estimated at
about 1000.