Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-05-02
THE WAY TO BRING PEACE.

President Wilson is doubtless max
Ing an earnest effort to bring about
peace in Mexico but it is hard to see
how any permanent peace can result
from his plan even though the media.
ton scheme of the South American en-.
voys pans out to expectations. The
truth of the matter is that Mexico will
never have peace if left to it's own re-
sources. It's people are not capable of
self government any more than are
children or savages. An iron hand
and an iron will might, if backed by
the world powers, keep peace in Mex
leo for time but it would be only
for time because at the first sign
of failing strength or popularity on
the part of the ruler. he would be
assassinated and new regime would
be ushered In to the accompaniment
of cracking rifles and the clashing of
swords.
In Mexico, land blessed with fertile
fields and wonderful natural re-
sources, such as flowing oil wells, fab
iously rich mines and vast fields and
forests, there are some sixteen million
OF people. A very small per cent of
these can read and write; the rest are
ignorant, shiftless, ambitionless, Graf
ty, cunning and cruel peoples of var.
GUS ancestral stock but mostly In
dams or OF mixed blood. 1t is to be
seriously doubted If tenth Of the
people in Mexico knew that there is
any issue between government fac
tions-most of them look upon rebels
and federals alike as mere bandits and
plunderers, which In truth they are to
q great extent
The sad part of 1t is that the rebel
lions that keep the country torn up are
not movements by the people but are
promoted by some ambitious leader
who looks upon the sword as the quick
est and surest way of acquiring
wealth and power. Huerta's soldiers
almost to a man are hired assassins
or luckless individuals who were fore
ed into service against their will. In
the prison at Vera Cruz some three
or four hundred men were found who
had been imprisoned on no charge
whatever and who were being held I'M
til their promise was secured to serve
in the army of the dictator. Many Of
the rebels are fighting from choice
some because they look upon fighting
az their life work for they have been
at it all their life, some because they
see a chance to secure plumber, some
because they want to be avenged for
wrongs done them by Huertas sol
diers, and very few because they
believe their course to be one of
patriotism
Between the two factions there is
really little to chose. Whichever one
wins now, the other or some new
faction will fight in year from now
and the conqueror then will have an
other battle on hand thereafter.
In the meantime the splendid land
OF Mexico will be despoiled, the enor-
nous investments of Americans and
Europeans will be lost, the productive
power of the country will be wasted to
the world and there will be constant
turmoil to the south that will keep
our own country in disordered state,
and keep the canal zone in which
Americans have invested four hun
dred millions of dollars and several
thousands of lives, in constant danger.
There is sure way to stop all this:
a way that will make Mexico a safe
place to live, a good neighbor to have
and a factor in the worlds prosperity.
The answer Is Intervention"
England, Germany, or France would
be willing to undertake the task, but
the Monroe doctrine prohibits them.
1t therefore devolves upon the United
States and this country is the one that
should step in and restore peace and
prosperity to bleeding Mexico. 1t is
true that such a course will cost lives
and money, but the present course OF
"watchful waiting has also cost lives
and money though it has certainly
been justified for it has permitted the
Mexicans themselves to demonstrate
to the satisfaction of the whole world
their utter incapability to govern them
selves.
Every reason in the world justifies
the United States in going into Mexico
to restore peace and to keep peace I'm.
til Mexicans are sufficiently educated
in American established schools and
trained in American ways of civil
ization to govern themselves.
Peace can come to Mexico and to
the United States only through the