The Washington times., 1913-07-15
MEXICAN BELLIGERENT RIGHTS.

1t is quite inexplicable that this Government
should continue its present attitude toward the Con-
sttutonalst party in Mexico. year ago Congress
vested in the President general discretion to deter
mine whether arms and munitions might be sent
from this country to Mexico. He ruled that these
supplies might be sent to the federal authorities of
Mexico because they were the regularly constituted
constitutional government. That ruling enabled Ma
dero to equip himself, but shut off supplies for the
rebels
If the Madero government had not been regular,
constitutional, and manfestly representative of the
public will of the republic, Mr. Taft would have shut
off the transportation of from this Country to
Mexico. 1t was his purpose to give moral support
to duly constituted authorities.
Now a gang of cutthroats, murderers, traitors,
and assassins have seized that government away
from Madero, and declared themselves the legt-
mate continuance of the Madero regime. A perfect
y good ground for expecting the continuance of the
importation privilege, provided it is true
Everybody knows il is not true. Everybody
knows the present government is subversive, re-
dictionary, and corrupt beyond the contemplation of
decent people.
By no rule of constitution, law decency or public
opinion can the continuance of this armng privilege
in favor of Huerta be continued. ~
VIII not 90 10 say tnal so long as f1uerta is
the de facto government he is entitled to the priv
ileges which 60 with sovereignty. The law of
March Il, 1912, passed for the very purpose of
establishing different rule. There was no need to
PASS that measure in order to establish the rule of
the de facto governments superior rights. The
measure was passed because in the strange CON-
pexity of Mexican conditions it was desired to give
our President special and unusual range of dscre-
ton In short that measure became law as an an
ticipation of exactly such condition today pre-
walls in Mexico
President Wilson so far abhors the present gov
ernment of usurpers and butchers that he will main
tain only the most nominal relations with it, vet on
the other hand he so discretion that entirely
his own as to keep these usurpers and butchers in
the dominant military position.
Either the Huerta government should be denied
the privilege of bringing in from the United
States, or else the same light should be extended
to the consttutionalsts. Just to do this very little
thing would bring the in sig ght of its end. There
will be no peace in Mexico till Huerta is out of the
way Give his enemies chance, and they will put
him out of the way soon enough
The American people, the Mexican people, tho
nations Of the world, the decencies of all civilization
were shocked beyond measure at the horror of the
Huerta accession to power.
Yet Huerta is being maintained in power today
by the favor the partisan preference, shown for him
by the Presiden: of the United States.
Doubtless President Wilson does not intend to
accept such responsibility. Probably the cold un-
comfortable facts have not been placed before him as
vet in this light But such the facts, and the
responsibility for their continuance cannot be further
subdvided than to make Mr.. Bryan, our humani-
tartan Secretary of State, bear share of it.