Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-24
Barbarism in Mexico.

1t will be virtually impossible to con-
vince the American people that Fran
cisco Madero and Pine Suarez, the late
president and vice president of MEXICO,
were not, in truth. assassinated by or
ders of the new heads of the Mexican
government while they were being
transferred from the palace to the
penitentiary for supposedly safer
keeping. The official explanation that
they were slain in the course of an at
tempt to rescue them is received with
frank incredulity. There is. indeed, no
particular reason for believing IT. and
very strong reason for disbelievinS 1t.
All the circumstances of the tragedy
point to the deliberate commission OF
a crime which appaIls civilization. Ma
dero and Suarez had been placed in an
automobile with a guard of three Off
GERS an orderly and seven rurales,
eleven armed men, some of whom oc-
cupied a preceding motor car. The
transfer was made at midnight, when
the streets were empty and the skies
were clear. The distance between the
palace and the penitentiary was short,
and should have been covered in few
moments If the official explanation
Is correct, SOulc one III TIC poldNC uP
parently proved traitor to the govern
ments plan, and within the hour
elapsing between the issuance of or
ders for the transfer and the departure
from the palace passed word to the
Maderistas in season to permit the sta
tioning Of an armed force on the pre-
else route to be taken by the prisoners
and their escort. This in itself is sug-
sestive. But again. if the government
honestly wished to place Madero and
Suarez in safe keeping. it should have
been no difficult matter, when the at
tack was made. to speed the motor cars
at such rate as to outrun the at
tackers and reach the penitentiary in
safety If it was actually the purpose
of Huerta and Diaz to place Madero
and Suarez securely in the penitentiary
they planned badly or were wrctchedly
served by their subordinates
In this case, as in all others where
the commission of crime is suspected.
the burden of proof is, OF course, upon
the accusation. But explanations and
defenses must be reasonable, must
square with conditions; and it Will call
for an unusual degree of credulity to
accept as even plausible the protesta-
tons of innocence coming from the
present leaders in Mexico, who had
unquestionable motive in desiring
these two men killed. Whatever may
be the official reports on the affair,
the belief will doubtless continue to
prevail that Madero and Suarez were
put to death by their captors as de-
liberate1y as though they had been
stood up against wall and shot by
firing squad
In any case, the killing of Madero
and Suarez in itself does not alter the
attitude of the United States govern
ment toward the question of interven-
ton. 1t is to be regarded at this
stage as "a token of tho failure of
civilized government in Mexico. But
it is in itself not sufficient cause for
the invasion of Mexico by American
troops If it should result in d re-
newal of fighting, placing American
lives and property in jeopardy; IL 1t
should stimulate the already aVoWed
hostility of the northern states to
the Huerta regime, leading to IA chaotic
state in the republic, then it Will have
been a factor for American action.
Certainly, on the other hand. 1t is
quite far from simplifying the situa-
ton. and the United States is even
more definitely than before Obliged to
prepare itself for the assumption of
a task which it still hopes it will not
be compelled to undertake.