South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-18

Perhaps the most unfortunate thing
about the controversy over Pres't Will
sons administration policy toward
Mexico is the Introduction into the
opposition partisanship, OF ali the fac
.ionaI prejudices with which the par
ties find it possible u align them
selves. 1t is quite natural for re-
publicans and ex-republicans TO at
tempt TO discredit Prest Wilson and
his policies, but there are lengths TO
which even political parties. in the in
.terests Of national patriotism ought to
be ashamed TO go. Former Pres't
Roosevelt is the latest 20 boil over on
the subject. We are glad TO observe
Former PRIEST Taft maintaining for
once, a more patriotic equilibrium.
Col. Roosevelts disregard for facts
in his delight for militarism, and ef-
forts TO discredit a political opponent
are significant Of his entire career.
Truth and sense have at other times
been allowed to go begging when they
have failed TO furnish the colonel with
the material with which to make a
point.
Here are some Of the things that Mr..
Roosevelt would subscribe 10, if we
understand him clearly, and we think
we do. for we have heard the same
argument advanced from other
sources. IL is not new. He is merely
throwing the force of his personality
INTO il. He has reached the point now
where he would have accepted the
reign Of the bloody dictator Victoriana
Huerta. and even have backed him up
in reducing the revolutionary element
in Mexico 10 submission. The manner
IN which Huerta slew the president
and vice president of the republic, i'm
prisoned "a part Of congress and dis
persed the remainder TO establish his
personal power. is not regarded as
worthy of consideration, but when in
heir struggle for freedom and equal
ity, the revo'utiUnists killed their OPP
pressors, Mr.. Roosevelt denOunces
then as robbers and murdeners.
We will let the New York Evening
Globe make answer TO Mr.. Roosevelt's
charges:
one of the first events under
Huerta's administration was the
murder Of MaderO and Suarez
soon Diaz, lis partner i'm crime,
fled from Mexico to save his life
little later Huerta locked up a
majority of the Mexican congress
and dispersed the remainder.
Yet Col Roosevelt says Huerta
should have been promptly reCog-
nized as the legitimate president
A large part of Mexico refused to
acknowledge the validity of his
usurpation. But this, according
TO Col. Roosevelt, Is inconseGuen-
tial Should Joffre murder POiu-
care or Kitchener put King
George out of the way Joffre and
Kitchener should be recognized
by telegraph as the heads OF the
governments of France and Great
Britain.
As to the alleged meddling by
the president further on assailed
as not sufficiently meddlesOme,
one wonders where Col. Roosevelt
gained his facts. The president,
during the trying months of
watchful waiting, did nothing eX-
cept 20 urge on MeXicans the de-
rability of reestablishing leStu-
mate government in MeXicO-One
that could be fairly regarded as
representative of the Mexican
people. Far from helping the
constitutioualist party, as Col.
Roosevelt charges. he maintained
an embargo against the shipment
oe arms TO Mexico. This regula-
ton. although nOminally equal IN
terms, helped Huerta, for Huerta
could buy in Europe. as he did,
while the only place where the
constituencies could buy was in
this country What Col Roose-
Welt calls meddling was bound 10
occur. If the embargo was main
tanned, we meddled in behalf OF
Huerta III suspended. We meddled
in behalf OF Carranza and Villa.
In fact there was no meddling.
This was clear at last even To
suspicious MeNicans. Although
this country, for obvious reasons,
could not recognize Huertn, it was
not regulating Mexican internal
affairs. TIE president had agents
in Mexico, but such were neces-
sary If he was TO have trust
worthy information
As to the contention of Col
Roosevelt that the occupation of
Vera Cruz was war. and thus for
months we were at war this rep
resents mere verbal hair-splittlng.
Il was not war. nor does the
world or Mexico so regard IL.
Mexico viii rehabilitate herself
and as long as such a shred OF
chance remains IL would be UNI
wise as we'll as q wicked thing 10
put our army in motion. In JUS
tice 20 his own great career Col
Roosevelt should refrain from
criticism whose only effect will be
10 make the difficult task OF the
president even more difficult.
with regard TO government by as
sassination. the Globe might hay,
brought its answer nearer home thar
either Jodre and Poincare or Kitch
ener and King George. When J
/ Wilkes Booth murdered Abraham Lin
coin. Booth wasn't made president
neither was Charles Guiteau who kill
ed Garfield. nor Leon Czolgosz who as
/ sassinatcd Mckinley We have grav
doubts If the progressive party wouI,
have placed the name OF Johl
Sehrank az the head OF its ticket il
1912. had the bullet pumped into III,