The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-26
"wATCHFuL WAITING" FAILURE,
| Congressman Kahn Attacks Wilson
Policy In the House.

WasI1ington. Feb. 26.-RepreSentattve
Kahn, Republican of California, in an
address in the house today. expressed
| the hope that the administrations Mex
lean policy soon would give way to a
| new one, which would bring about
peace and tranquility in the southern
republics While opposing armed in
| tervention, he asserted that the pres
! ent policy unless speedily and radical
ly changed, must inevitably lead to
armed Intervention.
"The fact that it became necessary
| to issue a proclamation removing the
embargo on arms to be shipped into
Mexico" Representative Kahn said, lis
practically an admission of the failure
of the policy, of 'watchful- waiting
Deadly drifting is a much more ac-
curate description of the administra-
tions policy. And since the embargo
has been removed what has happened?
Additional murder, additional lawless-
ness, for which We are probably re-
| sponsible.'
| Mr.. Kahn urged that renewed efforts
he made to restore peace in Mexico. He
expressed the belief that if this gov
ernment were to invite the co-opera-
ton Of Argentina, Brazil and Chile in
an effort to solve the Mexican diff
Guilty peace and order soon would be
restored in that country.
| He declared that he did not want
to see armed Intervention in Mexico.
contending that the United States had
no right to do SO.
I'VE have intervened politically al
ready" he said, land in my judg-
ment, it was a mistake to have done
SO. and 1t is going to prove the most
costly experiment. To my mind all OF
Mexico would not repay the tears OF
the widows nor the wailing Of the or
phans that would result in conse-
Quence of our armed Intervention"
Foreign Jmgoes.
"Whlle we may have some jingoists
| in the United States who at first are
for war;" he continued, II do not be-
lieve we have anything to fear from
them. We have much more to fear
from the jingoists from foreign lands.
These are the real menace-if there
be any menace anywhere. And from
our own past experience especially in
the war of 1912, in the Mexican war
and just prior to the Spanish war, we
ought to have learned the lesson that,
when the jingoists of nation
arouse the latent patriotism of the
citizens of that nation into a blaze of
passion, conservatism is thrown to the
winds and nothing but armed conflict
can appease the vengeance which
blood alone seems to be able to QuelL
Our own past experiences ought to de-
termine our course in voting reasona-
Ole APPROPRIATIONS Tor the army and
navy in times of profound peace"
Discussing the Monroe doctrine w 1icIl
| he said, had come to stay, Mr.. Kahn
said the time also had come when his
! government should invite the confer
ence on questions affecting the we.-are
Of the states on the American hemis-
phere. those Latin-American republics
whose governments are stable, and who
have made giant strides in progrcss
and commercial development, such as
Argentina, Brazil and Chile ''The CO.
operation with us of these states in ex-
tending the hand of friendship and fell
lowship for the amicable settlement of
difficulties that confront the inhabi-
tants of ahy Latin n-American republic, -
he declared, will have a great in
fluence in establishing stable govern
ment in all Of the republics in the west
ern continents"
More "Watchful Waiting"
| Washington, Feb. 26.-At a confer
ence today between Secretary Bryan
and Ambassador Spring-Rice, it was
decided that British Consul Perceyal
will not proceed into Mexico for the ex-
animation of VIM. s. Benton's body un-
til better arrangements can be made. I"
Conflicting reports OF the location
| Of Benton's body convinced officials
here that the British consul could rot
proceed until the situation was made
| more definite and meanwhile the
American government will press for
such information as 1t needs for in
vestigation.