The Irish standard., 1914-05-02
LONGING FOR WAR.

LONGING FOR WAR.
Glaring headlines and columns
glutted with insignificant events
have marked the progress of our at
tempt to.deal with Mexico. Blood has
been shed at Vera Cruz and lives
have been sacrificed to satisfy a lit
tie incident connected with the hui
NOR of Admiral Mayo in asking for
an apology from a man whom the
government refused to recognize. The
young men who gave up their lives
and shed their blood has thus far
been the explanation Of the Tampi-
CO incident. With our grape juice"
diplomacy and desire for peace the
country has gone mad on the sub
ject Of war. We are clamoring for
war. The American people seem to
have war in their hearts and their
hands extended to grasp the policy
Of President Wilson will be able to
curb this evil and vicious tendency
which has been the result of our
peace policy. Which has taken the
disgraceful turn of signing treaties
Of peace. expending money for peace
conferences and advertising peace
celebrations in honor of the country
whose historic intentions were to
crush out our independence and lib
erty while on the other hand we are
anxious to take the lives of people,
defenceless and helpless. whose
chief crime consists in not allowing
their country to become the vantage
ground and the prey of American
Captains of industry We must
draw some fine distinctions between
national honor and national shame.
Powerful interests are eager to force
the hand Of the President. more Gag
or than ever before. because they
seem to see an opportunity and are
following it up. The press of the
last few weeks are declaring us to
be war mad people influencing and
influenced the news of war.
What were we to do? What could
be done? Was the answer that comes
back to us and the wish seems to
have been the farther of the thought.
Avenge ourselves, we have been in
suited, Huerta has defied us and our
honor must be satisfied. He must
pay the price for his insult. But
the lives of American soldiers seem
to have been without a price. We
have paid for the insult ourselves
and as yet the end is far off. But
what could we expect? Was it not
natural and probable that when a
people like the Mexicans engaged in
intercene strife that foreigners would
be more or less inconvenineced? The
president refused to recognize HUI
erta, declaring him not to be fit
person to receive the confidence of
the United States. He is now asking
reparation from man he refused to
recognize. Our position is most alb
surd. In the council of nations HUI
erta was declared not to be a gentle
man. AS yet our craftsmanship
seems not of the caliber which en-
ables us to declare that gentlemen
will not and others cannot insult us.
Without discussing the personality of
Huerta we must recognize the fact
it is the innocent and unmolested
Mexican that must pay the penalty
for our interference. The gibes and
sneers of all foreign nations notwith-
standing. Ceremonious salutations
and fossilized traditions is our ex-
cuse for our present position in the
Mexican affair. Certainly some of
our naval officers and army officials
ought to understand that there are
times when the decorum yields to a
higher rule. No doubt when our
war officials realized that it is time
to press their arguments for appro-
priations to increase a standing
army Of the country and dress the
navy in Sunday clothes" to send
them on a holiday parade around the
world they will now take advantage
of the Mexico trouble to assist in
having their wishes gratified. We
realize. without admitting, we have
no justifiable excuse for shedding
blood in Mexico. that SO far as the
dignity of our army and naval Of
ficers is concerned a country which
has made possible a glorious Com.
modore Berry has also tolerated q
Nelson A. Miles of the Guardians OF
Liberty. 1t behooves us, therefore
to know the sources of Mexican in.
formation. ~"