New-York tribune., 1911-03-13
MEANING BUSINESS " MEIIco

do more
MEANING BUSINESS ~ UENCO.
The Mexican government promptly re-
sponds to the overtures ~ the United
States We said tne other day that In
sending an army 80 the frontier and
sGl;adrons 10 the coasts this country was
giving it's neighbor chance to suppress
the insurrection unhampered by lawlcss
inCursions from our side of the iinc.
Mexico purposes tc improve tnat oppor-
tunity in characteristically vigorous
style. The highly important dispatch
from The Tribune's special correspoh-
dent in Mexico. which was published IN
Yesterdays paper. gave at last an au-
thentic end informing revelation OF the
state of affairs in that country anu HUI
minated Il situation which before bad
been somewhat obscure. The account
thus given Of the intentions Of the MeN-
can government is of the greatest pos
sible moment and indicates Enthusiastically
the crucial seriousness of the situation
and the probability Of occurrences In the
near future which will demand the most
careful consideration of the world.
There can be little question of the
magnitude of the provOcation when
Mexico has s'iered 10 the exercise or
the extraordinary powers 10 which re-
sort is now to be made. For months. as
we have pointed ont, there has prevailed
in the northe states. not an organized
attempt at revolution through civil war,
but a sporadic and lawleSs guerilla cam
paign Of assassination. arson. larceny
and general devastation. Participants IN
such work are not bclligercnts. but fel-
ons. They are not entitled to considera-
tion as prisoners of war. but are 10 ne
treated as ordinary criminals. That IS
the attitude which this or any other
country would assume toward them. And
short shrift would be given here or else
where to men caught red-handed Mt
wrecking railroad trains or burning
dwelling houses. 1t is dreadful thihS
to shoot men down without benefit of
Judge or Jury. but in some cases it is
not only the lawful but the mcrciful
thing 10 do.
Tie tremendous responsibility which
Mexico is thus assuming is not. howcvcr.
10 he ignored. Granted that there Is fu'i
Justification Cor 50 extreme Il policy. tnat
Justification depends largely upon The
discretion and tempered restraint with
which il is executed. The moral sense
of the world would endure nothing re-
semhling mere reprisals. If summary
punishment is to he mcted ont to those
who harry and outrage non-combatantS.
caro- must be taken that the nOn-com-
batants themselves are not involved Ill
The punishment We have. Of course. ilo
idea that any one rcsponsibly connectcd
with the Mexican government has an"
thonght Of an indiscrimnate campaign
of determination. But there l. alWafS
danger that troops. and even their otil'
ccrs. will be carried away with certain
frenzy Of vengeance. and will thus 60 10
extremes as dcplorable and as savage ;s
those against which they are operating.
II will require firm hand and an an
tboritative voice 10 restrain the military
ministers of justice from becoming
agents of savage retribution.
The serious interest Of the case 70
Americans s greatly intensified hy the
fact that some of the leaders of the Ill
surcpnts are Americans. and that the
train wrecking. the arson and the loot-
ing have been in part the work "l
American filihusters Now il will not he
nleasant TO hear that American citizens
have been seized and summarily shot or
hanged without trial. Yet il is still less
rleasont to know that rs our correspon-
dent reportS and as there has long been
ONLY too good reason 10 suspect. American
citizens have been committing, or at least
directing. the wrecking Of trains and the
noteutial slaughter Of women and chll-
dron. and have done so for the deliberate
purpose of provoking war between the
United states and Mexico. We should
say that no American guilty Of such
conduct was deserving Of more than
yery short shrift Yet ii Is desirable
that the MeXicans shall make certain
of The guilt of every victim Of their sum
mary Justice. for II would he exceedingly
unnloasant for all concerned 10 have in
noccnt Americans thus done 70 death. II
Is case I'm which Mexico cannot afford
to act rashly or 10 have her soldiers
make mistakes