The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-15
BANDIT VILLA.

The barbarous acts of Carranza s
right hand man, Pancho Villa, have
done more TO injure the cause Of the
constitutionalists than the loss of half
dozen battles. 1t has been generally
supposed that the administration at
Washington. in view of the obduracy
OF Dictator Huerta, which, by the way,
is no more than natural was rather
pleased than otherwise when news came
of recent rebel successes. The men of
the northern part of the republic were
expected to march to the City Of Mex.
leo. tip over the government and in.
angurate new era.
The victory of Villa at Juarez was
followed by wholesale executions, at
which the whole world stood aghast.
The administration was inclined to eI-
cuse this lapse into savagery on the
ground that tho federals also put Ger,
tain of their prisoners to death. The
outcry OF civilization against the Juarez
horrors was quieted and Villa, owing
10 the cowardice of the Huerta COM
manders at Chihuahua, is in possession
Of the city of that name
What followed his entry has been
told by the refugees who arrived at
,Tuarez. Not content with looting the
stores and the banks, Villa ruthlessly
drove the Spanish residents forth on
pain of death, desecrated the cathedral,
seized the sacred vessels used in the
worship of the Master, robbed the
priests and nuns Of their few earthly
possessions, violated the sanctity OF the
British consulate by breaking in and
seizing tho person of Louis Terrazas,
Jr., who had sought refuge there, and
by various other cruel and inhuman
acts showed to the world that he was
the same bandit who escaped from Chi
huahua City nearly twenty years ago
with charge Of murder hanging over
his head.
Even the rebels themselves fear the
consequences of the methods employed
by Villa TO inspire terror in the hearts
of the civilians and foreigners upon
whom he Rvies tribute. and an appeal
has been made to Carranza to proceed
at once to Chihuahua City and restrain
his subordinate from committing fur.
ther outragcs while pretending to be a
patriot and a soldier.
In the meantime the Spanish and
British governments have been notified
of the wrongs endured by their nation
ais and in due time the United States
government will be requested to take
some action in the matter as self-con
stituted guardians Of the peace of the
Western Hemisphere. Whether the in
iurcd foreign nations can be induced tc
continue playing the waiting game re
mains 10 be seen.
10 is useless 10 try 20 condone the
offenses of Bandit Villa. The civilized
world has taken his measure and pro
nouuced him unfit TO wage war in III,
sacred uamc OF liberty. Unfortuuately
there is no certainty that any man VIII,
may be appointed as his successor viii
not be equally lacking in all that gocl
to make up wise and humane leader
Of mon.
Former Governor Hsdlev Of Missouri
must have had premonition OF coming
events when he expressed doubts rs /,
the wisdom of President Wilson 5 pol
icy Of watchful waiting" in the fol
lowing words;
II through bungling diplomacy and
an attempt TO impose unfair moral
standards upon the people OF Sfe.tco
and 10 inject ideals Into their man.
aseneut OF public affairs which thcy
Aaulpt SoIhPt eutHa' ne tnal bring
the present administration must am
6wer
would be unwilling TO see sacrl
ttced the life OF single American bov
IN order 20 protect the oil wells and
mines which may have been devel-
oped BY American capital In Mexico
We arc willing 20 approve the poiicv
OF "Natchful waiting II IL comes ont
ali right.
Before Governor Hadley's words hat
been put into cold type news came OF
possible foreign complications on ac