Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-18
Col. Watterson Would Have
U. S. Accept Advice in Mex
lean Problem.
EDITOR, WHO is IN PARIS,
FAVORS IMMEDIATE ACTION
SAYS Intervention on Our Single
Account May at Any Moment
Be Forced Upon U.s.

Few Americans have greater knoWi-
edge OF American politics and interna-
tional questions that concern the United
States than Col. Henry Watterson. edi-
tor and proprietor of the Louisville
Courier-JournaL says the New YORK
Herald Certainly American en-
presses more fearlessly his views on
such questions His opinion of the sug-
gestion put forward in the Herald that
the Mexican problem be submitted to
conference of representatives, of the
United States and European powers Is
therefore of particular. value. being
both authoritative and sincere.
Col. Watterson, now, in Paris, at the
Continental Hotel when asked by
Herald correspondent what he thought
of the conference suggestion, made 1t
clear that he is thoroughly In accord
with the idea.
Easy is sometimes wiser than hard"
said the colonel. Perhaps we had better
have joined the other powers in promptly
recognizing Huertas presidency. How
he got there was no concern of ours. The
Portuguese murders were as heinous as
the Mexican murders, yet we recognized
the new regime in Lisbon without delay
Favors Immediate Action.
Slntt We nave hlSibOSNN ihNi "a Soi
siderations wholly foreign to international
relations we are at the mercy of events
If we fail to act promptly on the line laid
down by the IIerald-that is. invite CO.
operation of the several nations concerned
with ourselves-interventi on our single
account may ut any moment be forced
upon us, and that would be grieyous, In
deed"
What about tile Monroe doctrine?' COL
Watterson was asked. He replied
''In view of this Mexican situation in
esse and our Central Americans South
American relations in posse il would seem
"a good time for fishing the Monroe doc
trine out of the basket of old clothes and
taking a long. last look at ii before trans
ferring IL to the dark closet of things no
longer useful
1T has served its day and its turn.
IL was put to sleep by force of circum
stances. nor has il ever been awakened.
except to be saddled with some ideas
foreign to it's original intent.
I'VE had better have let the French
remain in Mexico. In no event could we
since have had worse neighbors.
France is now a republic. With Eng
land dividing North America with the
United States and Mexico on one side.
what have we TO say against monarchy?
Quotes President Monroe.
Let ME cite To you what MONROE Oe-
clared. Here are his exact words
THE American continents by the
free and independent condition which
they have assumed maintain they are
thenceforth not TO be considered sub
jects fer future colonization by Euro
pean powers. We should consider any
attempt on their part to extend their
system to any portion of this hemi-
sphere as dangerous TO our peace and
safety. With the existing colonies or
dependencies of any European power
we have not interfered and shall not
interfere. but with the governments
who have declared their independence
and maintained il. whose independence
we have on great consideration and on
just principles acknowledged, we could
not view any interposition. for the
purpose of depressing them or con-
trolling in any other manner their des-
tiny. by any European power In any
other light than the manifestation
of an unfriendly disposition toward the
United States.
There's nothing here" continued the
colonel. Committing the United States
TO police territory or collect debts Of
Latin Americans, yet il we should go II
alone in a policy of Mexican intervention
we should not only embark upon an end
less and costly war. with nothing at the
close of II to reimburse us. but We
should put fuel to the flame of anti
Yankee prejudice already seething in
C'nerai and South America.
No Humiliation Involved.
yet for thirty-odd years We have been
trying TO lay the ghost of the Monroe
doctrine in the minds of our southerly
neighbors. We established the Pan
American Union. we set up bureau at
Washington and built a palace to house
IL. Mr.. Root travelled all the way to
Buenos Aires. Chile and Brazil to dis
abuse the minds of those countries
touching our intentions and assure them
of our dis.nterested friendship.
eli asked no other country than
England TO join we should ask Eng
land. which has great territorial possess
sions in North America. We have.
which in British Honduras lie directly
alongside OF Mexico. as we do In Texas
and Arizona.
But We should also ask France and
Germany. There's no humiliation in con-
certed action of the powers. We had II
sixty years ago, and again ten years ago
In China. Europe is having 1t now In
the Balkans"