New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-25
Mr.. Wilson's Mexican Policy and
It's Ignoble Finish.

that even ardent admirers Of Mr.. Wilson'S policy
Of making adroit phrases do the work OF states
manship have begun to realize the absolute va
euitv which underlay the administrations pro
eramme OF backing and filling in Mexico.
That programme has been from start to finish
2 grotesque interlude in the history Of our for
eign relations. Taking into consideration the
national traditions which have determined our
attitude toward the Latin-American republics
and the obligations which we have assumed tow
ard Europe through our development of the
Monroe Doctrine the Wilson policy was fan
taStic improvisation. 1t was fimsy super
structure, built upon rotten foundation. When
the rhetorical scaffolding which concealed its
fimsiness was stripped away the whole fabric
fell in ruin.
THE World" now admits the collapse. Its
admission is the more significant because it was
not long ago rhapsodizing with Mr.. Wilson him
self over the sublimities Of policy which was
not to be limited to accomplishing purely ma
tional ends. but was to be philanthropically eX-
was to be a pioneer in the field Of emancipation
comparable with Lincoln according to "The
Worlds" view, for it said last April mot since
the United States government under the leader.
ship of Abraham Lincoln destroyed human
slavery has it undertaken a nobler mission than
the emancipation of the Mexican masses from a
opdf bo Of Ia nd
holdings in a few hands, that is little better
than slavery"
Mr. Wilson was himself not backward in put
ting forward a similar explanation Of his mission
in Mexico In his speech in Philadelphia, on July
last. he said: "Eighty-fve per cent of the Mex
lean people have never been allowed to have a
look-in with regard to their government and the
rights which have been exercised by the other Is
per cent. l know that the American
people have heart which will beat just as
strong for any other millions anywhere else in
the world, and when they once know what is at
stake in Mexico they will know what ought to
be done in Mexico We stand for the
mass Of men, women and children who make up
A the vitality of any nation"
Now, it must be obvious to anybody but a
statesman intoxicated by his own phrases that
such famboyant, theatrical humanitaranism has
no place in the conduct Of the foreign relations
Of the United States. 1t may be our moral
mission to encourage the mass of men, women
and children Of other nations to seek a greater
measure of political freedom and economic
equality But our government has no dplo-
matte military mission to go into other cOun-
tries ard reconstruct their institutions for the
benefit Of submerged elements.
The only legal warrant Mr. Wilson ever had
fo- Selling Vera Cruz was that given him by
Congress or April % after he had already
seized it, Congress authorized him TO employ
the army and navy for the purpose of obtaining
reparation from the Huerta government for in
dgnities 20 the flag and sovereignty of the
United States. Il never sanctioned any other
programme, and the one thing it empowered the
President to get ne never got, since through his
representatives in the Niagara Falls Peace Con-
ference he abandoned the demand for a salute
and pledged himself not to ask the government
o. Mexico for any other sort Of indemnifcation.
There were sound reasons for intervention in
Mexico, but these the President has never ac-
copied as a basis Of action. 1t is the govern
ment's duty to do its best to protect the lives
and property Of its own nationals in Mexico and
the lives and property of European nationals
there, since We should be averse to allowing any
European nation to intervene on its own behalf.
We would also be justified in intervening in order
to prevent a general relapse into anarchy. We
have done that in other Latin-American coun-
tries. But we had never dreamed before Of
intervening anywhere with the professed aim of
compelling the Is per cent Of the ms to share
their property with the So per cent of the outs.
Mr. Wilson made his Brooklyn Navy Yard
speech on May II, and his Philadelphia speech
ON July A. But what has he ever done to carry
at any of the professed purposes Of his policy?
The Mexican poems are just as submerged as
ever. so far as assistance from him goes. He
has simply kept American troops, under General