The Detroit times., 1914-06-11
Huerta's Alleged Blockade

The semi or suspended war that
exists In the south Is not against
Mexico or the Mexican people, as the
resolutions OF congress are at pains
70 declare IL is against usurpauon
that this government has refused TO
recognize as legal Such condition
Is so anomalous and extraordinary
that IL Is not strange the information
al law experts of. the state depart
ment have found difficulty IN ascer-
tanning what usage among nations
demands And new twist 10 an al
ready twisted situation was given oy
the proclamation OF blockade issued
by Huerta with respect TO Tamplco'
the Mexican port that is in the pos
session OF the Mexican constitution
alists
For 10 months, claiming 10 be the
legal provisional president or Mexico
Huerta has refused 10 recognize the
belligerent rights OF the constitution
ansts He has elected TO consider the
constitutionalists as mere insurrec-
tionary bandits without legal status,
II this Is still the theory, then the
proclaimed blockade OF Tamplco Is
obviously wasted II was settled dur
| INK our Civil war that blockade Is
| right incident 70 war-that II can
be resorted 10 only when war exists.
| When the southern ports were block-
AIDED by Lincolns orders the neutral
governments said that this was tanta-
mount 10 recognition by the United
! States OF the belligerency or the con
| federate states, and neutrals had as
much right TO trade with one belhger-
| ent as with the other.
A blockade OF Tampico by Huerta
Is thus an Acknowledgement that a
state OF war exists in Mexico between
federaLs and constitutionalists. III
this is so, then the constituuonalists
have opened 10 them the markets or
the world In which TO buy arms The
coast OF Mexico is long and unguard.
ed and Huerta has not the ships 10
enforce an effective blockade IL
would be easy for the constitutional
lists TO land their purchases.
| The administration should take ad-
vantage OF the blunder OF Huerta and
promptly recognize as he has i'm
| pliedly done. the belligerency OF the
constitutionalists. Even though, as
reported the blockade order has
been withdrawn record has
been made fully Iustifying such
recognition. On the general facts the
constitutionalists have long been en-
] titled 10 recognition. They have kept
\ organized armies IN the field and
have won battles and carried on
sieges They hold a large area OF
contiguous territory They have set
up civil government
II has long been evident that the
best hope OF securing peace In Mex,
leo and victory for those principles
OF government for which this country
stands is in the triumph OF the con
stitutionalists Their cause is essen.
italy our cause They want the same
I things In Mexico that we want. Yet
the administration has refused to ex-
tend 10 them a recognition OF bel.
| ligerency similar 10 that extended to
our revolutionary fathers by France.
by Spain and by Holland For UNI
explained reasons the administration.
although sympathetic toward the con-
stitutionalists. has been practically
unfriendly II is time TO make acts
square with desires and intentions
and 70 avoid military operations In
Mexico by giving Carranza every pos
sible legal facility for achieving the
expulsion OF Huerta and the suppress
sion OF liberalism The job would
have been finished long ago except for
the disposition 10 credit the allega.
tions OF Huerta's friends and agents
that the constitutionalists were band
its.-New York Globe and CONNER
cial Advertiser.