The Daily Missoulian., 1914-04-26
CONGRESS FESTIVE
AGAINST WAITING
Many Senators Are Dis
pleased With Policy Of
Waiting and Point Out In
consistency in the Course
That Has Been Followed.

Washington, April 25-A republican
western senator speaking of the pas
sage of the resolution to authorize the
president to employ the army and
navy to enforce his demands for
amends for affronts committed
against the United States, said: 1.-The
senate was too patriotic and too SEN
sitive to the dignity and honor Of our
government to refuse its support Of
the executive branch of the govern
ment at this stage of our dealings
with another power.
"BEt / think / voice considerable
sentiment when ] say that many sen
ators who voted for it did not grant
support to the president freely and
ungrudgingly, but on the contrary
voted with the mental reservation that
the situation which confronted them
and which compelled them to so vote
was brought about by methods which
they do not approve.
Many senators, l believe, are firmly
of the opinion that the executive
branch Of our government in dealing
with Mexican affairs has not exercised
that Judgment, skill or diplomacy that
would warrant the absolute and un-
qualified Endorsement of congress or
that would justify congress in placing
unlimited power in the hands of the
executive to further handle the situa-
ton
"On the contrary, the feeling exists,
not only in congress, but elsewhere,
that our dealings with Mexico during
fhG bov
not understandable and have been
without competent diplomatic proce-
dure.
In fact our 'Watchful waiting pol
icy has proved the cause for the mirth
of the world.
The inconsistency of our course
has no greater example that brought
about this Tampico incident. Our ex-
ecutive and state department have
been shouting peace from the house
tops, and now are pushing the coun-
try into war, because of an incident
Involving the technical detention of
an assistant paymaster and half a
dozen men. Our executive department
passed by without noticeable comment
the long list Of murders of American
citizens and the destruction of Ameri-
can property and found in these dep
relations and insults no cause to en-
ploye the armed forces of the United
States, because. inferentially, these
depredations and insults were COM
mitted by the faction in Mexico APP
proved by the executive, while blood
less incident laid at the door of the
faction disnpproved by our executive,
for which apologies were promptly
rendered, is made the basis for en-
ploying the army and navy of the.
United States to enforce further
amends, regardless of the fact that
war is the inevitable consequence of
this action.
The senate was asked to vote
blindly to support the president in his
dealings with Mexico without having
had from him the courtesy or conf
dence of a frank, direct or connected
statement of these events of the past
year leading up TO the contretemps in
which we now find ourselves. Nor
has the president, so far as 7 have
been able to learn, imposed sufficient
confidence in the members of his own
political party in congress, to entrust
them with what he has been doing in
Mexico through his special represen-
tative, Mr.. Lind, or other agencies.
To vote ungrudgingly and freely
the power to the president by the
resolution, would infer the belief of
this senate in his omniscience in deal
ing with oer foreign affirs The
known results of these dealings up to
the present moment do not Justify
such belief. Senators who have voted
for this resolution have done SO to
save this country from having to igno- ]
miniously back down from a position,
into which It has been forced by the
Incompetence of those responsible for
our attitude towards Mexico, rather
than from any confidence In the good
Judgment of the present administra-
tion or its ability to handle the great
affairs of this nation In manner
commensurate with their Importance