New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-16
General Carranza and the Admins
tration's "Watchful Waiting" Policy.

The administration has not been fortunate III 10
diplomatic exchanges with General CarIan@d' -
fell into trap of its own creation when II
70 send a commission to Chihuahua CITY u eAnu'n0
and examine the body Of William = Benton n'i'
ish subject General Carranza, acting as cllei
of the revolutionary forces now IN controi ol i
part of Northern Mexico, saw that MI Bryan anu
Mr. Wilson had played unconscously into MS maui
and crafty took advantage Of their indlscretoh u!
suggesting that for the purpose of conducting an
inquiry into the death of a British subject he "oulu
gladly enter into direct communication Win inc
British Foreign Office.
The Benton inquest was dropped because the STATE
Department could find way OF challenging INC
correctness OF General Carranzas diplomatic alu
tude. But having undertaken to look after the III
terests Of other nationals in Consututionahst Terri
tory and being reluctant to admit its impotehcy u
discharge that friendly duty, the administrator mas
been laborng further with the willy northern cniei
tain To Judge from his latest note, little mas oeen
accomplished, since he is willing TO concede only
that representations comm from Great britain VI
from other powers which have recognized Huerla
NAV be presented to him unoffcially through out
siders and that outsiders named for such purpose
NAV include United States consus. General Gar
rama still holds himself free to deny the right OF
the United States to act in presenting claims 10 MN
affecting any but its own citizens
The revolutionist cheftain thus puts his finger on
the weak point in President Wilson's Mexican pol
lev. That policy has been sefcontradictory 1t has
aimed at doing something and yet avoiding the ap-
pearance of doing it. Mr.. Wilson has never dis
carded the duty Of interesting himself in a large
way in protecting lives and property in Mexico not
alone of Americans but of the subjects and citizens
of European nations. Europe naturally looks to the
United States TO exert powerful influence in re-
storing order in Mexico. Our role there should be
that of chief mediator and pacifcator in time OF
trouble.
But the administrations unfortunate programme
of holding aloof in appearance while trying TO III
terpose in reality has wasted for a year all the
advantages which would have followed the open
casting of this countrys authority and friendly aid
into the scale in which seemed to lie the stronger
hope of a restoration Of order. Had the United
States worked on the problem from inside Mexico
instead Of from outside it our government would
have shown itself a real benefactor, helping Mexico
as well as protecting the interests there of American
citizens and Of all other nationals 1t could have
co-operated freely with the forces working for sta
bility instead of letting civil war rage and looking
on with the calm Indifference of neutral while two
factions have been uselessly wasting and impOver
ishing the country.
Having stood aloof so long, it is wonder that
Mexicans Of both factions should expect to stand
aloof longer General Carranzas answers to Mr..
Wilson and Mr.. Bryan arc unfortunately based on
the facts Of the situation They only too correct
an Interpretation from the Mexican point Of view
of the administrations start-nowhere and get-no-
where policy.