New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-08
THE HAMsTRINGING OF HUERTl
Major Gillette Depicts Mr.. Wilson's
Responsibility in Mexico.
iitor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: / have read with much interest
your recent editorials upon President
Wilson's Mexican policy the most i'm
portant point in which 1 think is missed
in them
Under the wing Of the Monroe Doc
trine we have arrogated to ourselves,
and have succeeded in putting II over
that no Lstin-American government can
borrow money without our recognition.
The edict forbidding civilized Mexico
from borrowing money went forth on
March I. Six months later, August q,
President Wilson made four demands
through John Lind, all of them gro
tesouely impossible of compliance, the one
recurring civilized Mexico to change
leaders at that critical time being espe-
cialy unfair. / have asked dozens or
Americans long resident in Mexico who
could he ndle the situation as we'll az
Huerta, and absolutely the only other
man suggested is Banquet who is
Huerta's right bower, and who would
not take II, saying that Huerta is the
right man.
President Wilson's proposition that
we have free election down there.
with the President OF a foreign country
debating who should be candidates and
who should not, is also rather start
ling proposition.
AS the Madcrc bandits were armed
from this country, quite probably by
big business Of this country. and as
arms across the border, and further
more, as we deliberately permit thio
country 10 be used as an asylum, and
as basis for fomenting revolutions
against Mexico and other friendly ma
tions. a bill for the prevention OF which
has for many months been slumbering
under the cushion OF Senator Bacon's
chair, our responsibility for the arming
OF the bandits who are destroying civil
ICED Mexico seems pretty definitely es-
tablished.
II. then. we prevent civilized Mexico
from borrowing money the RESPONSE
bility of President Wilson for all the
thousands of deaths, for all the wanton
destruction OF bridges. banks, theatres.
and cities generally. for the tens or
thousands Of outrages upon women and
young girls. and for the millions OF
money II will cost TO eliminate the
thousands OF bandits now on the war
path. is something appalling. Is he not
In fact. bound in all fairness. II he is
going 70 keep hands off, 10 withdraw
from his present position OF claiming any
special rights in Mexico, and let the rec
ogniton of foreign governments sustain
Mexico's credit as II the United States
did not exist? Have we the right 10 ham
string Mexico financially and call II
moral suasion?"
Carranzs and the separate packs OF
wolves in front OF whom he trots as
self-styled leader, without the slightest
real subordlnation TO him on their part
do not have TO borrow money. They
rob banks. take money from citizens AT
the point OF the bayonet and live on the
country purely as bandits: whereas Cen
eral Huerta, on the other hand. had 60
wage warfare in a civilized manner and
protect inhabitants and rebuild roads
destroyed by Villa and other cut-throats.
Is there anything more awful in history
than the waiting attitude of President
Wilson after having done the damage
which he has? Since the capture OF
Victoria. II the same proportion obtains
that did after the capture of Durango,
several months ago. President Wilson "a
Viewing with complacency" the out
raging OF not less than 1900 women and
girls in that vicinity.
Nero's adding while Rome burned was
not a marker to this complacent salts
faction.
CASSIUS z. GILLETTE
Washington, Dec. 5, 1913.