The Washington times., 1914-04-29
SAVING HUERTA.


The particular thing that nearly
everybody deems most undesirable
in the Mexican situation, is to save
i1lerta. Yet it looks as if media
tion as now undertaken was about
the one thing that might accomplish
sum thing Of this kind.
President Wilson has insisted from
the beginning that Hucrta must 60.
Whether he was right or wrong, this
Government is firmly committed to
that view.
Car-anza and Villa have taken
that same view. They still hold it.
1t represents the one strong tie be-
tween them and the Washington
Government.
Zapata has been no less insistent
on this condition. There are re-
ports, indeed. from Mexico City, that
Zapata has come into the Huerta
camp and joined forces with the
despot. But these reports need not
be taken seriously. They are pretty
certainly manufactured by Huerta
to fool the people of Mexico City
and the people outside of Mexico.
The three powers which have been
selected to mediate have refused to
recognize Huerta; which is equiva-
lent to giving their moral support
to the elements that have demanded
his elimination.
The military situation, down to
the day the United States interfered
because of the ?'ampico incident, was
altogether favorable to the expecta-
ton that Hucrta would shortly fall
before the laundering arms of Villa
at the gates of the Mexican capital.
What, then, has been or can pos
sibly be gained by mediation? It
looks like a new life for Huerta; a
measure of recognition of him; a
concession that there is something
that can be mediated with him, while
all the elements in the situation have
heretofore insisted that there was
no basis on which any recognition of
or compromise with him could be
permitted.
Huerta has accepted mediation in
principle, but there is no word from
the constitutionalists. 1t is difficult
to believe that they can feel other
wise than disappointed that the
United States should thus interfere
with their compaign at time when
victory was apparently within their
grasp. 1t would be small wonder,
indeed, if differences in their coun-
ellis, as a result of their amazement
over this eleventh-hour quasi-recog-
milton of Huerta, might strain Sc
verely their relations with the
United States.
From their point Of view, it must
seem that the United States has
taken a step that gives life,
chance, to Huerta. 1t has accepted
mediation, and Huerta promptly
joins with it. Can the constitution
alists fail to feel that there is sud-
denly effected Il new alignment, in
which the United States and Huerta
are on one side. while the anti
Huerta Mex;cans are left outside?
Would not that, in substance, be
the condition in case the constitu-
tiona!ists should refuse to mediate?
The only course that, pending
mediation. can prevent some meas
ure of rehabilitation of Huerta, now
losing the confidence of the people
even in Mexico City who have here
tofore stood by him, is for the
United States to go right on pre-
pairing for possible campaign from
Vera Cruz to the capital. The in
creasing show of overwhelming
force, making perfectly plain even
TO the most ignorant peon that there
could be only one outcome to such a
campaign, would offset the advan-
tage Huerta has gained through the
left-handed recognition tardily given
him.
General Villa has sent to the
States a telegram, Sayin:. thar he is
a soldier, not politician, and that
his dirty is 70 light. not Interfere IN
the political and liipiorE.tic aspects
of the war. That meaEs That he in