The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-26
VARIOUS OPINIONS ON MEXICAN POLICY OF PRESIDENT TAFT Many Believe Serious Inter yentiOn Should Have Been
 Made Long Ago OTHERS SUPPORT
 TAFT'S POSITION The Demand for Intervention Comes Laregly From Those Who Have
 Enormous Investments in
 Mexican Republic
n. (. E. STEWART

Washington, December 2o.-(Speelai1-- There are many counter currents of orin- ion among statesmen in Washington re- garding the situation in Mexico and the shffening of the governments policy it, ward that country. Many believe that the United States should have long aeo adopted sterner measures with the Ma dero government. looking to the protection of Americans and American capital, aud believe that if sneh q course had bseli followed earlier the possible danger of tostilities between the United States and Mexico would nave been more remo.e than they appear today.
 On the other nand President Taft nas strong support in the policy he has chosen to adopt in the past. He is warmly com mended in some circles by his refusal to yield to the demand of the 'jingoes' and those who have commercial interests h Mexico, and who, it is openly charged, have fostered rebellion and aided it in every way possible with the ultimate end in view of the successful secession Of tAe border states of our sister republic, scat tered among which are immense invest ments of American capital. which wound
 
 these states free from Mexico and under a stable government with the protectlen of the United States.
 Investments Are Enormous
 Notification If the frequently published statement of Sl,C0,o00 o0o0 as the sum of American investments in Mexico is lace- ing, but it cannct be denied that taere are very large amounts of capital from this country invested taere In railroads. oil, lumber, mining and other operations ard that this capital was invested Ill Mexico under assurances of protection and frequently at the suggestion of put lie officials supposedly
 out the will of the M
 Claims for losses Under
 arc perfectly jus, and in
 recovered under internat aA collecting the money 1t Is
 different proposition that American claims az
 iran government will now aggregate S.c- 0o0, GOO, and thal the Madero goverrAel4 is practically Lanlrupt. Although Aau| thorlzed by the Mexican congress to doat a loan of s25,OO9 O0o. with far more libanl terms than ntfElolott htfldnNtHs 1iAt Mexican government faces cold and m responsive bankers. and their bonds s,i begging.
 From Bad to Worse
 Those who favor intervention deeidrd hat conditions in Mexico continue gro7 ing from bad tO worse and that MeNied with a depleted treasury and a general lack of confidence in Madero by the pee7 ple is rapidly approaching chaotic dad
 q from which is daily becoming a erca,ef undertakings They declare that arnad intervention by tho united States will bring to an end thls fratricidal strife aia restore peace and tranquility to country rich in possibilities under the proper foii1 of government
 Neither life nor property, they declare was ever quite safe in Mexico, eNel under the autocratlc rule of Diaz. Amer ican investments in Mexico have alwas been made with the knowledge that grea risk was taken. Lands legally purchase by Americans have been seized, atter es penaive development, by Mexlcans, WI claimed them under ancient, forgotte and dubious laws, and the claims hi9 hsen upheld by the rotoriously corrGl and inefficient courts, but as condition now exist they say there IS not even senblance of legal proceedings to oonHi cate ana destroy property Not onl rropertV rights, but personal rlsht5 al ianored and the situation is declared be intolerable.
 Seriousness of Intervention
 on the other hand the seriousness Of T tervention is rointed out by those vi onnose it. They declare that armed inte vention in Mexico will mean sever years of uncertain campaigning again small hordes of rebellious natives, as F was in the Philippines, and Will cost ti country many lives and large sums money. ,
 They insist that conditions do not jt tif&- so serious an undertaking, and th this country ought to exercise panen and give the Madero government 1uftt onrortunitv to restore order. They C4f ttst Mexican conditions today are reer rlv 80 bad as in the days of Sai Anna. or when Juarez was preside They point out that Diaz secured ord and that it eau be done again, and ti time at least should be given the NeA can people to work out their own salvi- ton.
 T-pon one point, however, they all seem to agree. and that is that the MeNican government should be told in plain terms that American citizens must be portecteu. The foes 10 intervention believe that only stern policy by this government regard : ing the protection of Americans anu American rights is needed at this tiins' ......................s.