The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-10-01
INCENTIVE TO WAR
CROWS EVERY DAY
BY Ernest G. walker.

\
WASHINGTON, September 16.-A
new chapter in Mexican and Central
American developments comes almost
daily. There are lurid details. The
industry of revolutionists is empha-
sized in the successive stories of plot
tings and raids and the sacrifice of hui
man life. Troops are lined up along
the Mexican border, with more going
thither by the President s order every
now and then. Warships are blowing
the Atlantic on the way to Santo Do
mingo, where they are to anchor as
grim sentinels and maintain the Gus
tom houses. 1t amounts to as much as
Intervention.
Over in Nicaragua a thousand or two
of marines are stationed. The country
seems to forget about those things over
night. The United States government
is maintaining authority there in a
revolution-wracked republic. 1t was
only, two or three weeks ago that
things were on edge in Cuba, with an
outlook that the big policeman of the
north would have to send some war
ships and some marines into the island
to make certain that the person of our
minister to Cuba would be properly re-
spected.
And incidentally it was not very
long ago that marines were landed in
Cuba and were cooperating with the
Cuban president to restrain marauding
| bands, especially in the eastern end of
the island. Some folks thought III
looked warlike there for time but it
was not as bad as it seemed.
Revolutionary Problems.
These southern revolutions have
brought their problems for the depart
ment of state at Washington. There
| is nothing new or novel about them.
State department officials are not dis
posed to get excited although there is
always anxiety in connection with the
protection of the lives of Americans,
as well as the protection of their prop
erty Furthermore there is a pro blem
in the protection of the lives and prop
erty Of Europeans. For the European
| NATIONS have now become accustomed
to look to the United States to main
tain order in those turbulent republics
to the extent Of protecting the citizens
of European countries in the exercise
of their ordinary rights
The Mexican situation, however, has
been causing some alarm, because with
| in a few days it did seem as though
the United States government could
not avoid intervening there for the
protection of its own citizens. Presi-
| dent Taft, away at Beverley, ex-
pressed his concern Madero is PLAIN
| ly unable to cope with the situation
Fresh atrocities come every few days
There are battles on the border, vita
bullets flying across TO the American
side. The revoiutioAists are insOlent-
The Americans living near the bO1nd-
ary lines are ineensed tremendously
Their sentiment is for intervention and
war.
But the danger of war with Mexico
is remote. There is absolutely no
popular demand for it Had there
been, United States troops might have
crossed the border long ago and there
might have been plenty of actual hos
tiIities to thrill these who find excite
ment in armed action. President Taft
has managed the delicate affairs be-
tween the two countries admirably,
even though the country takes SO little
interest that it hardly gives him
creditable thought in that connection.
country's Patience Great.
Congress, while it remained in SEES
sion, WAS squarely behind the President
in this regard. Its members, except n
few representing constituencies on the
border. had no desire for mixup with
the Mexieans The public realizes
there would be no glory in such a war.
There are no ambitious newspaper
owners clamoring for belligereney, as
there were when the painful situation
developed in Cuba, ten years and more
ago. A settled policy there now APP
pears to be to endure the annoying or
deals, which the Mexican rebels inn
pose, and in patience allow the stu
alton to work itself out
The Central and South Americans
have their agitations, but they wage
their campaigns with bullets, rather
than with ballots as we do here in the
United States. Most of the revolutions
bring some good, although most of the
revolutionists may be quite thorough
ly bad. The Mexican revolutions of
the last two or three years have been
the severest with which the United
States has had to deal, partly because
of the proximity of Mexico and partly
because of the large interests that citi-
zens of the United States have in the
various states of that country.
Forceful Sway Needed.
The Nicaaguan and San DOMINICAN
situations indicate that the United
States Is likely TO exercise more force