The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-03-17
WHAT'S THE GAME, BILL?

Some astounding moves are being
made on the diplomatic chess board
The nation is wondering what it all
means. Here are the known facts in the
national game or plot or whatever it
NAV be that the obese one in the White
House is engineering. Powerful Amer
lean interests are engaged in the pleas
ant and profitable pastime of exploit
ing the natural resources of Mexico.
An American express company enjoys
a practical monopoly in the express
business. The Waters-Pierce Oil Co.,
that notorious progeny of Standard Oil
that was kicked out of Texas. enjoys
a practical monopoly in the oil bust
ness; Morgan, Guggenheim and scores
of financial pirates of lesser degree, own
valuable railroad and mining conces-
sions. Diaz is some calculator himself
in a business way and knows the value
of American brains and American dol
lars. His government in return for
valuable concessions receives royalties
from these kings of finance that help
very materially in keeping the wolf
from the palace door. Diaz has been
painted in many colors. Those who
would curry favor with the powerful
alliance formed between American gold
and Mexican statescraft, have pictured
Diaz, the greatest and wisest ruler of his
time. Other writers who have been in
fluenced by other motives have studied
the conditions surrounding the common
poems of old Mexico and have painted
quite a different picture. Call them
muckrakers, if you will. They have Civ
en- US a Diaz cold, cruel, merciless,
despotic tyrant rather than benifi-
cent protector of his people. And
somehow the portrayers of 'barbarous
Mexico" have struck conviction home to
the American people. We believe that
Diaz rules with as despotic hand as did
ever any tyrant car of history. And
so as rebellion stalks through Mexico
we cannot help but throw our sympa-
thy as a people with the men who are
striving to make a republic a fact in
Mexico rather than a satire upon a dem
Ocratic form of government.
But our government, oblivious of the
fact that little more than a century
ago We rebelled against the tyranny of
George the Third, throws the strength
of its military forces into the scale to
save the tOtering Diaz from his fall
Were strict neutrality all that our
government wished to preserve five
thousand troops along the Mexican Dor
der would amply suffice. But four times
That number are rushed to the scene of
action. Everywhere regiments are be
ing recruited to their full fighting
strength. Arsenals are kept working
day and night. The navy department
sees equally hurried preparation. Ships
lad up for repair are hurried into ser
vice. Feverish war preparations are evil
dent all over the nation. For what {?
The only evident answer is that Ameri
can dollars must keep on coming Mex
lean blood and bone and muscle into
more dollars for the enrichment of
American investors and the Mexican
government. We repeat that is the on
ly evident answer.
And yet there is feeling nation
wide-an undercurrent-an intangible
something that is mysterious and per
picking that prevents wave of pro-
test arising from Maine to California
that would shake our government to its
very center Notwithstanding the pain
fully evident alliance so long existing
between Big Business and our admins
trative forces, this commercial crime
seems unbelievable. We give our pub
lie servants credit for a glimmering Of
common sense-a portion of political
oTesight Were this true-this thing