St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-04-22
vermoDter,s Serious Counsel


vey erstwhile of Peacham, now editor
of the North American Review. 1t is
no less the privilege than the duty OF
a sincere friend to be candid; Col.
Harvey has fearlessly preferred his
good counsel to the President in the
Mexican dilemma in no spirit OF cap
tiousness over what has gone before
but rather with a view of influencing
the administrations policy before
it is too late. AS evidence of his
earnestness Col. Harvey quotes the
Presidents own words uttered in his
recent message to Congress.
The large thing to do is the only
thing we can afford to dO-a volun4
tary withdrawal from position
everywhere questioned and misunder-
stood. We ought to reverse our &C
ton without raising the question
whether we were right or wrong, and
so once more deserve our reputation
for generosity and the redemption of
every obligation without bubble or
hesitation.
The President is urged by every
consideration of courage, nobility,
national honor, patriotic feeling and
the personal greatness that acknow-
lodges and repairs a fault, to apply
these words to the people of Mexico.
If the Presidents position regarding
Mexico is everywhere questioned
and misunderstood" then there can
be no good purpose subserved in fall
ing ito reverse our action whether
we were right or wrong" and this is
precisely what Col. Harvey adjures
the President to do.
There is nothing peculiar to the
situation warranting recognition of
the Peruvian and Haitian usurping
executives that should not apply to
Huerta and yet in the manifesto of
November, 1913, in which the far
famed ultimatum was proposed we
find a wholly different attitude.
When Huerta treated the communica-
ton with utter Indifference, it was at
once apparent that the position taken
therein was ludicrously untenable.
Jingoes are found everywhere and at
all times. There were many speak
ing through a certain class of news
papers urging Intervention and the
strict carrying out of the representa-
tions in the manifesto. But public
opinion is rather a delicate thing to
guage accurately, particularly when
the banners wave and the eagle
VI
been the consensus of opinion, Col.
leaves little doubt about what
it is today. He quotes editorial pas
sages and communications from the
following domestic and foreign news
papers: Washington Post, New Or
leans Picayune, San Francisco Argo-
naut, Boston Transcript, Boston Her
aid, St. Johnsbury tVt.) Caledonian,
Courier-Journal, Chicago
Inter-Ocean, New York World, New
York Times, New York Evening Post,
Philadelphia Public Ledger, letters to
the New York Herald, the New York
Tribune and the Philadelphia Public
Ledger; across the water, from two
powerful journals friendly to Ameri-
ca, the London Times and the Specta-
tor, the Economists Franchise of Par
is, Novoye Vremya of St. Petersburg,
Barliner Tageblatt, Prensa of Buenos
Aires, VoS de Oriente of Lima, Peru,
Ell impartial (anti-Huerta) of Mexico
and Pals (pro Huerta) of Mexico. If
a composite of the opinions expressed
in this list could be given regarding
the administrations Mexican policy,
it would read something like this
Despite the remarkable proof the
people have given the administration
of their confidence and willingness to
stand by the watching and waiting
policy, it is now clear that it has not
brought peace; it has caused great
foreign losses in Mexico; it has pro-
duced friction in our foreign rela-
tions; it has led foreign powers to
choose between our ability to con-
troll the situation and financing HUI
erta in favor of the latter; that so
long as the President holds his pres
ent views and course of action Mexi-
60 must suffer under combination
Of cruelties and terrors.
Moreover, that by raising the en-
barge on arms we have substituted
for watchful waiting, bloody blunder-
ing; that Huerta has clearly estab-
lished his claims as the de facto ruler
Of Mexico and the way out with honor
and to avert war is for this govern
ment to recognize him and strengthen
his hand; that the question now is
not so much whether Huerta is big
enough to control Mexico, but is Pres
lent Wilson big enough to acknowl-
edge his mistake in time to save the
country from war; that war will be
the price of assuming police supervis-
ion of Latin America.
turCner, WnlIe HuerCa may not De
the ideal ruler, he is still the best
in sight,-vastly superior to Villa and
Carranza; besides which it really
does not concern us how the Mexi-
cans see fit to change their refers;
that advocates of Huerta firmly be-
lieve that his recognition would have
brought peace to Mexico and saved
thousands of lives and millions of
dollars worth of property; that his
courteous treatment of our represen-
tatives is in marked contrast with
our official treatment of him; that he
has gained a large measure of res
pect from he people of this country
as the best person in sight to restore
order
Without attempting anything fur
Their in the way of a mere outline or
composite of the views expressed the
Herald calls particular attention 10
the advice of Col. Harvey couched,
as it is, in a way to compel respect
and reflection:-
What to do? Why, Mr.. President,
there is but one thing to do. There
never has been but one thing to do.