The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-10-19
PROTECT OUR PEOPLE


President Wilson in his desire To-
prevent war, but it can't help Bhink-
ing that in allowing the Mexicans to
fight so many battles right on the
border line, where bullets rain into
cur territory, killing or wounding
some Americans and endangering
many, that he is strafning forbear-
ance beyond the virtue point. Our
government has the power to com
pei the Mexicans to fight their bat
ties out of gun range of American
soil; it also has the right to do so,
but we do not think it has the right
to expose our people to danger
that the Mexicans undoubtedly force
upon them in or e- to partly pro-
tect themselves.
The followRg from uhs nes-Un-
ion very closoly expresses tie Stars
sentiments:
Protection for Americans
of course, state has no right to
declare war to Pre- tect its eitizens or
do any act FOR that purpose that
would be aration OF war; but
when the states cave up their r.ghts
in this respect to the federal gov
eminent, that government was plaa-
ed under obligations 10 give the pro
lection the states have Invested tlhem-
selves of power to give.
The United States has not give.
and is not giving, protection to the
people along the Mexican border. Il
is safe to say that ten times as many
battles have been fought in glunshoi
range of the border as in any equal
extent of territory in Mexico, and il
these battles one side or the other
uses its proximity to the border as
an asset i'm the fight. In fact, it #
largely on this account that so many
battles are fought along the border,
One side ranges its lines close to the
boundary SO that the other side viii
be ihampered in attacking by a re-
luctanee to fire into the United States
In a word, American citizens are
used as IbreastWorks. The Mexicans
don't hold them UP in front OF Them
but they range themselves so thai
their opponents cannot fire ait them
without danger of hitting Americans
I'm that way number of Amer
leans have been killed and more have
been wounded, and not one thing
has been done to punish the men who
have used american towns to screen
them from attack. and not one thing
ito break UP the practice. This thins
has been going on during two admin
instrations, and it viii continue al
long as only protests are used againsf
it.
We do not believe that either Tex
as, New Mexico or Arizona, if they
had not been tied, would have per
mitted Mexican soldiers to use theil
citizens as shields in this way. This
union was formed purely for tn
purpose OF profession against for
eign foes. and Tt is operating aIonl
the Mexican border to deprive TN
people of the protection the state
would have given them against a for
efgn' foe.
1.-THE government of the Unite
States should declare zone severa
miles wide along the border neutral
Tt should not permit the contendin
Mexican factions to meet and fign
Within THAT zone. It should, if nee
essary, send troops into that zon
to drive Mexican soldiers out OF Il
We have no right to invade the ter
ritory of another nation? Certafnl
not, considering THAT question by II
self. BUT another nation has N
right to stage its fbattles SO as TO en-
danger American lives, and if it in
sists on doing 50 we have a right 9
blot 1t off the face of the earth,
!sdhat is the only way by which W
can put stop to the practfce.
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