New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-10
Still Drifting, Though the Hope o.
Mediation Grows Less.

The reluctance of the President to deal with '"e
facts If the military situation in Mexico Is Al
logical consequence Of his policy Of avoiding respo"
siblities and lodging realities. He sui pursue'
an impossible theory Of non-interference out ""i'
pursuing 1t he has been compelled by circumstances
70 commit acts at cross purposes with his theory
He has interviewed with military force WITHOUT
ever admitting that he has interviewed ne mas
seized Vera Cruz and maintains large garrison
thers without conceding that warlike operations
Of any sort have been undertaken.
10 &c mediatinr with Huerta without having SUI
scribed to any state of facts on which meuia'ioH
can he prosecuted He has consented IN vague
war 10 cessation Of hostilities without ackno"F
edrinr that hostties have ever taken place de
;s nledged indirectly TO the maintenance OF an ar
~.,s.;co without any definite understanding AS TO
the operations which such an armstice permits Vi
forbids
II is no wonder that the administration is at It's
wits end TO know whether or not it should accede
90 conoro, Funstons requests for renforcemenS
and whether or not 1t should stop the importation
Of arms and munitions of for Huertas benefit
If the President were to consider the necessities
Of the military situation he would rush troops
and supnlies 70 Funston and have an army at Vera
Cruz prepared on moments notice to make Tor
ward movement to the City of Mexico II Huerta
should suddenly be deposed or fee the capltal
might easily fall prey to anarchy. In that case
in the interest Of humanity as well as for the
protection of the lives and property of foreigners
in Mexico the United States would have to under
take military intervention
A statesman with clear forethought and tull
sense of the responsibility which events have thrust
upon the United States would have had an army
at Vera Cruz by this time competent TO DO the
rescue work which may any day fall to IT,
Mr.. Wilson has halted and faltered because be
has been unwilling TO think the problem out lie
has fallen in love with drifting the current OF
circumstances and he still wants to drift along un-
disturbed
Similarly with the cargoes of arms and munitions
Of war consigned to Puerto Mexico. From the mill
tary point of view and froE- the point of view OF
alert craftsmanship it would have been unwise to
let those war supplies 90 i'll as it would have been
10 stand idly by at Vera Cruz and allow the
YpiranCa to land her cargo. Every machine gun
added 10 Huerta's stock may mean the loss Of
dozen American lives Yet the President and MI
BRYAN had provided in no way for this emergency
end were apparently able to stop the forwarding
nj the arms only by favor Of the German shipping
AGENTS
The administration consented vaguely 10 ah
armistice without reducing conditions of any sort
10 writing and it cannot now tell whether or
not its consent binds 1t 10 abstain from doing
at Puerto Mexico what It did as a wise measure
OF precaution at Vera Cruz.
Hoping for the best and doing nothing TO shape
or control the situation is still the Administrations
programme Yet il is evident that the possibilities
of such negative DEMONSTRATING programme are
nearly exhausted. Mediation is the rocks or
near them Even if mediation should make some
surface changes in the situation the Fundamental
problem Of reorganization In Mexico would remain
Mr. Wilson and Mr.. Bryan cannot much longer turn
their backs upon the serious military and diplomatic
phases of that problem.