Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-11-29
WHY INTERVENE IN MEXICO9
(From The New York Sum-

In reference to the Mexican lmDrog-
lilo and the talk of armed Intervention
in that country's affairs, it is difficult
to understand why under any concei7-
able circumstances the United States
should be called upon to sacrifice
many thousands of lives, many hun
dreds of millions of dollars and create
an additional mortgage on it's future
in the shape of an additional pension
roll for such a purpose. The theory
that a nation has to protect the lives
of property of its subjects or citizens
in a foreign country under any and
all circumstances is part OF a worn
out system of international usage that
| is not in consonance with the idea OF
American individualism.
There are circumstances under
which it is conceivable that the Unit
&c States might be justified in resort
ing to war to protect its citizens from
outrage or oppression, but the Mex
lean case is not one of them. The
conditions existing in that country for
many years past, even under the pres
idency of Diaz, made it plain to every
American that both his life and prop
erty were at an extra hazardous risk
there. We are under no moral obi.
cations to save the Mexicans from
themselves. They resent our intrus-
ion in their affairs, and justly SO.
1t is rather amusing to note the tone
of jubilation in some newspapers over
the fact that England, France and Ger
many have agreed to give US a free
hand in Mexico. Of course, they with
give us a free hand to squander our
blood and treasure in order to pacify
and re-organize Mexico, and when the
job is done, and we are mourning over
our dead, wounded and missing, our
desolated homes and disorganized fl
nances, they will step up to the cap
tain's Office" and present their littt,
balls again reconstructed Mexico for
every farthing, sou and pfen hing their
citizens lost during the "shindig," and
collect it, too.
AS far as we are concerned no gov
eminent exists in Mexico. Why not,
therefore, close up our embassy ana
break off even a pretense of diplo-
matte relations with that country?
Americaps have already been warned
to leave it. Let all who choose to
remain do so at their peril Raise
the embargo on arms and munitions of
war and let every patriot in Mexico
have all the war material he wants, If
he can pay for it. Allow those gentle
Latins to solve their own problems
in their own way.
Let France, Germany. England, or
any other country land marines, II
they wish, in Mexico Tor redress or re-
prisal, but not to acquire territory.
Make this plain by a proclamation,
and no country on earth will attempt
a permanent occupation. 1t may be
come necessary for some special reas-
ons to land troops or invest ports our
selves. Let us do so if the occasion
arises but exactly on the same terms
and conditions as we make for other
nations. Some day. and / believe at an
earlier day than 4 we attempted the
job alone, Mexico will be pacified, and
then we, too, can step up to the cap
tain's office" with the rest of them,
present our little bill and collect it.
Many years ago when Bismarck was
asked by the Powers to interfere in
Crete he told them that "he Would
not give the bones of a single Pomer-
anian grenadier for the whole is
land" and that is the feeling / have
about the bones of an American sold.
Ter and the pacifying of Mexico.
D. OrREARDON.
Roland Park, Md, Nov. %, 1913