The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-05-14
AFTER HUERTA'S FALL, WHAT?

AFTER HUERTA'S FALL, WHAT?
There is a still greater problem be-
hind the problem that has been an
moving the Wilson governmental
tor Huerta, what?-that threatens
the mediators should they get that
far along with the negotiations, ana
that is the question whether the or
derly and constitutional government
that is to be established in Mexico,
after Huerta has been disposed or
by one means Or another, IS to be
aristocratic or democratic. Is 1t to
represent the propertied class-the
land owners, the business interests
and their foreign allies-or the prop
erty-less-the landless poems? If it
is to be the latter, then the great
estates in Mexico will be broken up;
the land will be restored to the peo-
pie The present ruling class VIII pe
made, in effect, the victims or e.
gantic policy of confiscatlon IN the
name Of the general welfare,
Huerta stands for the existing Or
der. Many Mexicans who are dis
trustful of Huerta and eager to get
rid of him, stand also for the exist
ing order. The CONTEMPORARIES
stand for the revolution. CarranZa
is their nominal leader but the real
leader is Villa, the peon who turned
bandit, and who now looms large as
a great military leader with a loyal
army at his back.
How are the mediators to deal
with these two fundamentally hostile
forces-forces larger and more I'M
portant than all their leaders; forces
more powerful than all the armies IN
the field; forces that time and time
again have faced each other since the
beginning of recorded history! HOW
is the United states to deal win
them? How can the mediation nope
to compromise at once ploOolessly
and permanently this irrecOncllaple
difference? Will the mediators at
tempt to settle it as the government
at Washington would like to see 1t
settled? The real mediators are not
the A. B. c. representatives at WASH
ington, but the governments OF Ar
gentina, Brazil and Chill. that stands
back of them and have commissioned
them to proceed with their friendly
Offices" Are those governments, re-
gardless of their attitude toward
Huerta personally, in sympathy with
the order that Huerta represents, or
with the revolution?
1t is reported that the revolution
lists are distrustful of the South
American republics-partlcula
Brazil and Chill, because their gov
ernments represent aristocracy, first
of all, and after that property. Both
Villa and Carranza, it is said look
with profound suspicion on the medi-
atOrs for this reason, and will con-
sent to no settlement of Mexican dit
ficulties by foreign Intervention that
would defeat the purposes OF the rev.
blution. 1t is just as reasonable to
presume that the aristocrats, the
land owners and their supporters and
followers, while they might be will
ing, even eager to get rid of Huerta,
would never consent peaceably to
having Villa or CarranZa, or anyone
supported by them, installed as presl-
dent, with a congress OF the same
complexion.
It is possible to imagine that ces-
sation of hostilities might be brought
about in Mexico; that some kind OF a
temporary government might be es-
tablished under foreign protector
ate; that that government might call
and supervise an election. But once
the election was held, with one fac
ton or the other triumDhing, it is
very difficult to imagine that the de-
feated faction would submit itself
peaceably and peacefully to the plans
and purposes Of the victorious fac
ton. The reasonable presumption is
that the new government would very
soon face fresh REVOLUTIONARY
that the United States, with the
South American mediating nations,
would find themselves back in about
the same situation confronting the
same problems, duties and worries,
that attended the last year OF watch
full waiting
Whether mediation, however, will
ever get that far, seems to this
newspaper very doubtful: The reports
at hand at this writing are that the
revolutionists are preparing to press
the fighting against the federals.
Tampico may soon fall before their
cOnquering arms, and the next the
worlds knows they may be thunder
ing at the walls of the Mexican CAPT
tai.
" hat would the mediatOrs do
then? What would the United States
door wish to see done? Huerta
might fee, or be captured or killed.
So far then as the differences between
him and the United States are con-
cerned, there would be nothing left
to mediate With or without our
consent the constituencies would
probably set up Villa or Carranza as
president of Mexico and establish such
a government as they could. Even
though we recognized that govern
ment, and gave it our moral support,
how long would peace endure? For
how long would we be freed Of the
responsibilities that we are now try
ing to avoid? What assurance is
there, indeed, that the catastrophe
outrages of the French revolution
would not be repeated on the soil OF
our western world?