The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-09-05

out Tor a settlement
a satisfactory settlement seems to
US 70 be conditioned on
tal An Immediate cessation Of fight
lhs throughout Mexico, definite ar
mistlce 20 EMMY entered into and gcru-
puIously observed.
tDl security given for an early ana
TO take part.
~ the consent of General Huerta
" Dind himself not to be a candidate
tor election as president OF the repuD-
lac at this election; and
to1 Inc agreement Of all parties to
abloe Dy the results Of the election and
cooperate in the most loya. way In
ministratlOn.
The government Of the United states
Wlll be glad TO play any part ia this
settlement or in its carrying out which
IL can play honoraOly and consistently
with International right. II pledges IL
SER 10 recognize and in every way pos
slple and proper to assist the admins
tratlon chosen and set up In Mexico in
the way and on the conditions sug-
gested.
Taking all the existing conditions
into consideration the government OF
the United States can conceive of no
reasons sufficient to justify those who
are now attempting 10 shape the pol
icy or exercise the authority of Mexico
IN declining the offices Of friendship
thus offered Can Mexico give the
civilized world a satisfactory reason
for rejecting our good offices? II
Mexico can suggest any better way in
which to show our friendship, serve
the people of Mexico and meet our IN
ternational obligation we are more
thdn willing to consider the sugges-
ton.
Mr.. Lind executed his delicate and
difficult mission with singular tact
nrmHess and good judgment and made
clear 10 the authorities at the City of
Mexico not only the purpose Of his
visit but also the spirit in which it had
been undertaken. Bu- tile PROPOSALS he
submitted We're rejected, in Il note the
iull text Of which l take the liberty OF
laying before you.
am led to believe that they were
rejected partly because the authorities
at Mexico City had been grossly misin-
formed and misied on two points. They
did not realize the spirit of the Ameri-
can people in this matter, their earn
est friendliness and yet sober determi-
nation for ! 1me just solution for the
Mexican dltIculties; and they did not
believe that the present administration
spoke. through Mr.. Lind, for the PEG.
pie Of the United States. The effect of
this unfortunate misunders landing on
their part is to leave them singularly
isolated and without friends who can
effectual.y aid them. So long as the
misunderstanding continues we can only
await the time Of their awakening to
d realization of the actual facts. We
cannot thrust our good Offices upon
them; the situation must be given d
little more time to work itself out in
the new circumstances; and 1 believe
that only little while will be neces-
sary. For the circumstances are new.
The rejection of our friendship makes
them new and will inevitably bring its
own alterations in the whole aspect
of affairs. The actual situation Of the
authorities at Mexico City viii present
ly be revealed.
Meanwhile. what is it our duty to
do? Clearly, everything that We do
must be rooted in patience and done
with calm and disinterested delibera-
ton. Impotence on our part would be
childish, and would be fraught with
every risk of wrong and folly. We
can afford to exercise the self-restra1nL
of really great nation which realizes
its own stength and scorns to misuse
it. 1t was our duty to offer our active
assistance. 1t is now our duty to show
the people of Mexico to set their affairs
in order again and wait for q further
opportunity to offer our friendly coun-
sells. The door is not closed against
the resumption. either on the initiative
| of Mexico or on our own. of the effort
to bring order out of the confusion by
| friendly cooperative action should
| fortunate occasion offer.
While we wait the contest OF the
/ rival forces will undoubtedly for lit
| tie while be sharper than ever, just be-
| cause il will be plain that an end must
| be made of the existing situation, and
| that very promptly; and with the in
creased activity of the contending fae-
| lions will come, it is to be feared, in
creased danger to the non-com batants
| in Mexico as we'll as TO those actually
| in the field of battle. The position OF
| outsiders is always particularly trying
and full of hazard where there is civil
strife and a whole country is upset
| We should earnestly urge all Ameri-
| cans to leave Mexico at once and
| should assist them TO get away in
| every way poss ible-not because We
would mean to slacken in the least Nir
| efforts to safeguard their lives and their
| interests, but because il is imperative
| that they should take no unnecessary
| risks when it is physically possible for
| them to leave the country. we shoulS
/ let everyone who seems TO exercise au-
| thority in any parl of Mexico know in
| the most unequivocal way that we snaii
vigiiantly watch the fortunes of those
Americans who can not get away, ana
! Sufferings and losses to definite reck-
/ oning That can and will be made
| plain beyond the possibility OF a mis-
| understanding.
/ For the rest. deem it my duty to
! exercise the authority conferred on me
| by the law of March II, 1917. TO see 10
| ii that neither side to the struggle now
! going on in Mexico receive any assist
| ance from this side of the border l
/ shall follow the best practice or ma
! tions in the matter OF neutrallty oy
| forbidding the expectation Of arms or
| munitions of war of any kind from the
| United States to any part OF the repub-
/ lie of MeXico-a policy suggested oy
| several interesting predecents and GER
| tainly dictated by many manifest con-
sideratious OF practical expediency. We
/ cannot in the circumstances be the par
| tisans of either party 10 the contest
| that now distracts Mexico or constl-
! tute ourselves the virtual umpire be-
| tween them
I am happy to say that several Of
/ the great governments OF the world
| have given this government their gem
/ erous moral support in urging on the
/ provisional authorities at the CITY OF
| Mexico the acceptance OF our proftered
good offices in the spirit i'll which they
/ were made We have not acted in this
/ matter under the ordinary principles OF
/ International obligation. All the world
| expects us in such circumstances 10 act
| as Mexicos nearest friend and inti-
| mate adviser. This is our immemorial
/ relation towards her. There IS no.
| where any serious question that we
have the moral right in the case or
/ that we are acting in the interest or a
! fair settlement and of good govern
! ment. not for the promotion OF some
| selfsh interest of our own. II further
] motive were necessary than our own
] good will towards sister republic and
| our own deep concern to see peace
and order prevail in Central America.
| this consent of mankind to what We
| avs attempting this attitude OF the