Evening journal., 1914-04-20
MONDAY APR. 20. 1914.
MENIc0 RErrsEs UNCONDITIONAL sALuTE.


~ RESIDENT WILSON'S ultimatum to President
/ Huerta, of Mexico has failed to produce the de-
sired result. Huerta refuses to fire unconditional
salute to the American flag reparaon for the ma
tional insult which inflicted when American blue
Jackets we're arrested in Tampico. The Mexican die
tator denies that there any insult to the Amer
ican flag He says the American flag not
flying from the launch in which the bluejackets
landed; that the blueiackets we're released
before an investigation was made, and the Fed
era officer who ordered the arrests arrested and
put on trial for what he had done In behalf Of Mex
ico President Huerta through his foreign minister,
says the Mexican Government was willing to sign a
protocol providing that both flags be sauted the
American flag first and the Mexican flag second He
adds however that as the United States Government
has refused to sign such protocol, Mexico has
yielded as much as her dignity will permit and she
places her trust Gin the far-mndedness and spirit
OF Justice Of the American people"
President Wilson has reorted by laying the facts be-
fore Congress- rushing warships to Mexico and
making preparation for the movement of land forces
In short war Is so imminent that only quick change
of front on the part of Huerta can avoid IT, and he
seems to court conflict The Mexican dictator will
discover that with the campaign against him once
opened President Wilson will have behind him the
support of the whole American people
There are many Americans who do not like the idea
OF the United States acknowledging the salute To the
American flag with salute Of corresponding num-
Der OF guns to the Mexican flag. Such return salute
would not however, violate precedent Following the
nsnlt TO the French flag resulting, sixty years ago.
from the arrest OF N. Dillon, French consul in San
Francisco. it was stipulated expressly, following an
expression OF regret by the United States Govern
ment that "when a French national ship or squadron
shall appear in the harbor of San Francisco the United
States authorities there. military naval will salute
the national flag borne by such ship squadron
with national salute at hour to be specified and
present and the French national ship squadron
whose flag thus saluted will the salute gun
for gun"
The meat Of the whole situation is that President
Huerta must be compelled to recede from his lofty
and evasive attitude and make apology without
ceiving recognition for his government War between
this country and Mexico seems sure The Mex
leans. Federals and Conshtutionalists must be
taught at last that the American flag and Americans
must be respected
The firing OF a return salute would not meet with the
approval Of many Americans. To the mind Of most
persons. however. it would not remove much Of the
sting felt by Mexico in being compelled to-
apologize to avoid war that could result only in
the greater humiliation Of that small impoverished
aud revoluton-racked country In fact such conflict
would be more like naval pageant and military pa
rade than real and Americans would gain little
satisfaction from IL.
IN the main the people Of the United States are
behind President Wilson in the policy is pursuing.
even though they may not agree with him in Of
rs details
American patience had been exhausted long
before the nhicton OF the national insult by
Huerta's soldiers in Tampico. Temporizng on
this side Of the Rio Grande had ceased to be
virtue. It needed only something in the nature
Of the Tampco incident 20 the hand of the United
States Government and lead to action.
If Huerta had been wise he would have made the
best Of bad situation by ordering the firing Of the
salute with celebrity that would have taken the sting
out OF the Insult and the apology Instead he did the
worst possible thing, that Of pursuing policy
Ion and procrastnation with nation that was in nc
mood to submit TO either. He permitted the psychologist
sal moment TO slip his grasp and thereby placed bot
himself ana Mexico in a most desperate and humni
ating situation.