New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-14
RESPONSIBILITY.

The iudicious and constitutional
policy of the administration toward
Mexico is clear. 1t is To afford pro
lection and RELIEF so far as possible 10
ipperiled and distressed American
citizens NJ the scene of war 10 put and
keep the army and navy in readiness
for any contingency: to offer its benev-
client influence and its mediatorial ser
vices for the settlement of the unhappy
strife. if they are desired. and to re-
nit to Congress all responsibility for
and initiative i'm further action, If un-
fortunately any shall be needed. These
duties. which the administration Is al
ready performing with efficiency and
discretion. have always been regarded
ar its proper work, and have been un-
dertaken III former years III various
countries which have suffered disturb
ance There is nothing i'll them 70
provoke suspicion, resentment or criti-
clsm.
Intervention. which we should dapre-
cate to the uttermost. would be all alto
gether different matter. for which re
sDonsfbility must rest directly upon
Congress. For under the Constitution
the declaring Of war is an exclusively
Congressional function. And interyen-
lion would BE- wal Let there be no
mistake about that, i'll either Mexico or
the United States. However glibly and
lightly some may talk Of it, there can
be little doubt that the first formal act
Of Intervention by the United States
in Mexican affairs would be the signal
for n reSOlCte union of all the Mexican
factions against Us. The very men
who are now fighting each other like
devils would join forces against the
Invader We should lie wacing war
of conquest against the whole Mexican
PEOPLE in land more than one-fourth
rs large a. our own and one of the most
difficult in the world for campaigning
PURPOSES. lie must he 4 mailman who
would welcome such Il prospect. or
who would accept il save under in
cyitablc necessity.
At present no such necessity appears.
t. Americans are in peril in the City OF
Mexico they should be helped if neceS-
Sary. 10 withdraw 10 places of safety.
If their property is damaged or de
stroyed the Mexican government will
lie responsible for il. And precisely The
same is "a be said concerning the citi-
zens or subjects OF European powers.
They haye'aS vet no cause for interyen-
ing themselves or for demanding as an
alternative that we shall intervene. In
our own Civil War many Europeans
were imperiled and suffered destruc-
ton OF property, but there was no in
PREVENTION. In 1871 there was civil
war in Paris. compared with which The
fighting In Mexico IS child's play. and
there were Americans and other for
eigners ia that city, with much prop
erty hut nobody challenged the right Of
the Theirs government TO re-establisb
t,s authority without external med
ding. The fact that an insurrection
has broken ont in the Mexican capital
and has not been suppressed within
VEIN II iO SiOtiiu iOl lhNNiliAotNAs w
claring war against the Mexican Re
public.
II would. however. be impossible for
the rival Mexican leaders TO realize too
deeply their responsibility in the eyes
Of the world for the condition Of their
country and its capital. Only little
time ago Mexico was joining with the
United States OH equal terms as
moral sponsor for the constitutional
order and tranquility of the smaller
Central American states: and to-day
she is in at least as bad q plight a.
any Of them has been In for many
years. Neither Mader0 nor Diaz. nor
Or0zco nor Zapata, nor any Mexican
outside of bedam. can desire to have
his country put back TO where it was
in the days between Santa Ana and
Juarez. or to force upon the United
States the abhoITent cOmpulsion Of in
iervening in the domestic affairs Of
their fatherland.