Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1911 — TROOPS TO THE BORDER [ARTICLE]

TROOPS TO THE BORDER

President Taft Orders Mobilisation on a Gigantic Scale. At least 20,000 United States soldiers and a great fleet of warships—-one-quarter of the entire United States army and a large part of the navy—will be mobilized within five days along the Mexican border, mostly in the department of Texas, and on the coast near Galveston.

Orders for this movement, given by the genearl staff at the direction of President Taft, are officially explained as preliminary to maneuvers on a gigantic scale. There was considerable mystery at first as to the meaning of the sudden commands, and It was supposed that they had some bearing on the revolutionary situation In Mexico. The statements of the military authorities, however, make no mention of such a connection. A tour of investigation along the border was made within the last few weeks by General Bliss. In answer to charges that the United States-army is not prepared for actual warfare and that It is lacking in every essential that goes to make up a defensive force, it is said at the war department, the staff has ordered a test of the whole machinery controlling the mobile army on a scale greater than ever before attempted in time of peace in this country. -