El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-03

claim TO stand ahead Of most nations
in its regard for international morality
For example, last spring When We
took Vera Cruz there were many duals
within the city who fired at our troops
in exactly the same fashlo2 as Ihat
which is alleged to nave taken place
In LOuvain- But IL never Tor one mo-
ment entered the heads OF our people
to destroy NeracruZ. In the same way
when we promised freedom to Cuba, we
kept our promise and after establish
ing an orderly government IN CuoA
withdrew our army and left her as an
Independent power, performing an -,
which as far as 1 know is enl-Ie
without parallel in the dealings u
stronger with weaker nations
In the same way our action IN Santc
Domingo. when we took and admins
tered her customs houses, represented a
substantial and efficient achlcFelIeHt
in the cause of international peace
which stands high in the very honor
able but scanty list Of such achleye-
meuts by great nations in dealing Win
their less fortunate sisters.
Our Panama Problem
IN the same way, our handing OF tuS
Panama situation. both IN It's ac4ulsL-
ton. in Its construction, and in the at
titude we have taken toward the dW ell
ers on he isthmus and all the nations
Of mankind, has been such as 10 renee
signal honor on our people. IN tHe
same way we LELlAAEA A4LE A-AA-AN-N ---
demnity. because we deemed II eNces-
sivs just as previously we had re-
turned a money indemnity to Japan
Similarly the disinterestedneSs Win
which we have administered the Philip
pines for the good Of the Philippine
people is something upon which we
have q right to pride ourselves ana
shows the harm that would have been
done had we not taken possession OF
the Philippines.
But unfortunately, in dealing with
schemes of universal peace and arbitra-
ton, We have often shown an unWll-
ingness to fulfill proper promises when
we had already made by treaty, coupled
with q reckless willingness 10 make
new treaties with all kinds Of prom
Uses which were either improper and
ought not to be kept or which, even II
proper, could not and would not De
kept
It has again and again proved ex-
ceedingly difficult TO get congress %
appropriate money to pay some oolit a
ton which under treaty or arbitrator
or the like has been declared to be oW-
ing by US to the citizens Of some Tor
! eign nation. often we have announced
our intention to make sweeping arbi-
tration treaties or agreements at Int
I very time when by our conduct we
were showing that in actual fact we
I had not the slightest intention OF ap-
plying them with the sweeping UNI
versatility we promised
In these cases we were usually, al
though not always, right in our re-
fusal 10 apply the treaties, or rather the
3 principles set forth in the treaties. 70
{ the concrete case at Issue; but We were
utterly wrong. We were, although un-
2 Intentionally. both insincere and hyp-
ocritical. when at the same time we
! made believe we intended that these
principles would be universally ap-
/ Piled.
Universal Arbitration.
This was particularly true in connec-
ton with the universal arbitration
I treaties which our government unsuc-
/ cessfully endeavOred TO negotiate some
three years ago. We announced al
that time that we intended to have
universal arbitration treaties under
which we would arbitrate everything
even including questions Of honor and
Of vital national interest. At the very
[ time that this announcement was made
and the negotiations Of the treaties be-
gun the government in case after case
where specific performance Of its
pledges was demanded responded with
a flat refusal to do the very thing il
had announced its intention Of doing.
Recently, there have been negotiated
I in Washington 80 OF 20 little all inclu-
sive arbitration. or so called peace"
I treaties, which represent as high a de-
, gree Of faulty as is often achieved IN
I these matters
No Material Harm
! There is no likelihood that they will
, do US any great material harm because