New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-19
Confusing the Real Reasons tor In
Prevention in Mexico.

washington dispatches represent President VII
- a. ohsorbod IN tho settlement Of the land ques-
IT,, =, Ntoxico II Is reported that he believes no
sott,ement Of the Mexican problem will be sauS-
factory and permanent which does not break up
the present big land holdings and distribute 'he
land I'm small parcels among the poems. Huer'a
elimination according to this latest setting iorth Vi
the Wilson policy, will be of only trihing temporary
value If the true economic cause Of discomfort anu
revolution is not dealt with. Therefore any se'ue
ment which the government Of the United states
will approve must 60 TO the root OF the trouoie'
must free the peon from dependence and set MN
I'M In business for himself with three acres ana ii
burro or a cow.
This statement Of what is really in Mr.. wilson
mind must he highly comforting to our neghoor
The World which couple OF weeks ago an
nounced Mexican programme along the same
lines. 1t said, with or without advance informa-
ton from Washington:
Not since the United States government under the
leadership Of Abraham Lincoln destroyed human
slavery has ii undertaken nobler MISSION IMAM .Iie
emancipation Of the Mexican masses from !, I's
Tneonaec and the concentration of land holdings IN
a few handsl that is little better than slavery
II NAV be that the President was limiting at such
= nrocramme in the vague references in his speech
at the Brooklyn navy yard TO a "war of service
and going down into Mexico to serve mankind, II
we can find out the way" Yet for all that 1t Is
difficult to understand that our primary concern
IN Mexico is to take the land out Of the hands OF
one class of Mexcans and put it INFO the hands OF
another class
If we get involved in military or semi-paclhc
Intervention in Mexico il ought TO be on grounds
having much more definite relation to our national
interests and duties. 1t would be legitimate for the
United States to intervene for the protection Of the
lives and property of its own citizens, threatened
by violence and anarchy. and for the protection Of
the lives and property of other nationals. We do
not want to see European powers intervene, and
must do for them what we don't want TO let them
do for themselves. Here are solid reasons for our
taking a hand in the pacifcation Of Mexico
But whether that pacfcation must go so far as
to reorganze the Mexican land holding system, or
stop at merely securing stability and order, letting
the Mexicans work out their economic problems in
their own way is a matter + detail to be decided
later in the light of expedlency Why then, ignore
the solid bases for intervention botomed on inter
national practice and on the implications of the
Monroe Doctrine, and commit the United States to
what is in its essence a merely humanitarian cru
SADIE for the benefit of individuals and classes in
Mexico?
If we are to engage in an ,,tervention which may
involve the use of two hundred thousand men and
cost us 100000 day should have some
solder motive than merely serving mankind in
the person df the Mexican peOn. We should be
pursuing objects much more closely allied to the
political des;lies and welfare of the people of the
United States.