could be to avoid
making war against those who really wanted the termination of
hostilities, and it was his duty to protect them against the vengeance
of others. Over and above all these considerations in importance,
however, was the absolute necessity of making it impossible for
insurgents to procure food by levying contributions. Therefore, in
order to give those who were pacifically inclined an opportunity to
escape hardship, as far as possible, and preserve their food supply for
themselves and their families, it was determined to establish zones
of protection with limits sufficiently near all towns to enable the
small garrisons thereof to give the people living within these zones
efficient protection against ruinous exactions by insurgents. He
accordingly, 'in order to put an end to enforced contributions
now levied by insurgents upon the inhabitants of sparsely settled
and outlying barrios and districts by means of intimidation and
assassination,' ordered the commanding officers of all towns in
the provinces of Batangas and Laguna to 'immediately specify and
establish plainly marked limits surrounding each town bounding a zone
within which it may be practicable, with an average-sized garrison,
to exercise sufficient supervision over and furnish protection to
inhabitants (who desire to be peaceful) against the depredation of
armed insurgents. The limits may include the barrios which exist
sufficiently near the town to be given protection and supervision
by the garrison, and should include some ground on which live
stock could graze, but so situated that it can be patrolled and
watched. All ungarrisoned towns will be garrisoned as soon as troops
become available.

"'Commanding officers will also see that orders are at once given and
distributed to all the inhabitants within the jurisdiction of towns
over which they exercise supervision, informing them of the danger
of remaining outside of these limits, and that unless they move by
December 25 from outlying barrios and districts, with all their movable
food supplies, including rice, _palay_, [427] chickens, live stock,
etc., to within the limits of the zone established at their own or
nearest town, their property (found outside of said zone at said
date) will become liable to confiscation or destruction. The people
will be permitted to move houses from outlying districts should they
desire to do so, or to construct temporary shelter for themselves
on any vacant lan