The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-12-05

the administration should have inter-
fered in this manner. But one thing
is certain. When the administration |
did interfere. it was bound to accept |
the responsibility for it's acts. It could
not give any aid to the revolutionaries |
without accepting corresponding
share of responsibility for their deeds
and misdeeds. 1t could not aid them
because of their attitude on the land
question without also assuming cor
responding share of responsibility fol-
their attitude toward religion and to- |
ward the professors OF religion. The
United States would have had no re-
spOnsibility whatever for what was
done to the church by any faction which
did not owe it's triumph to action by
the United States. But when the United
States takes part in civil war in Mex |
leo, as Messrs. Wilson and Bryan forced |
our government to take part, this coun-
try has there made itself responsible for |
the frightful wrong-doing. for the ter
rible Outrages committed by the vic
tOrious revclutionists on hundreds Of
the religious people Of both sexes.
1t Was Not Our Affair.
To avoid the chance of anything but
wilful Misrepresentation, let me empha-
size my position. I hold that it was
not our affair to interfere one way or
the other in the purely internal affairs
of Mexico, so far as they affected only
Mexican citizens: because If the time
came when such interference was abb
solutely required it could only be justi-
fled if it was thorough-going and eff
fective. Moreover, 1 hold that it was
our clear duty to have interfered
promptly and effectively on behalf of
American citizens who were wronged,
instead Of behaving as President Wilson
and Bryan actually did behave. To
our disgrace as a nation, they forced
American citizens to claim and accept
from British and German officials and
officers the protection which our own
government failed to give. When we
did interfere in Mexican internal affairs
! to aid one faction, we thereby made
| ourselves responsible for the deeds Of
| that faction and we have no right to
I; try to shirk that responsibility. Messrs
Wilson and Bryan have declined to in
terfere to protect the rights Of Amer
leans or of other foreigners in Mexico
But they have interfered as between
! the Mexicans themselves in the interest
| OF one faction and with the result OF
placing that faction in power. They
have therefore bound themselves to ac-
cept responsibility for the deeds and
! misdeeds of that faction.
| Not long ago President Wilson, in q
speech at Swarthmore, Pa, declared that
Nowhere in this hemisphere can any
blood" and at Mobile that I'VE will never
| condone iniquity because 1t is most con-
to do at the te ns
Ilieutenants of the faction which he was
actively supporting were shooting their
prisoners in cold blood by scores after
each engagement, were torturing men
reputed to be rich. were driving hundreds
! of peaceful people from their homes. were
! ing ecclesiastics and religious women
with every species of aboninable infamy,
/ from murder and rape down. In other
words, at the very time that tho president
was stating that nowhere on this henis-
phere can any government endure which
Is stained by blood" he was actively en-
eminent which was not only stained by
blood but stained by much worse than
blood. At the very time that he was an
nouncing that he would never condone
iniquity because it was convenient to do
So" he was not merely condoning but
j into power a set Of men whose actions
were those Of ferocious barbartans.
Not Defending the Factions.
| Remember that am not engaged in
defending the fractional opponents OF these
victorious wrongdoers. There is not evil
dence sufficient to decide which of the
many factions behaved the worst. But
there is ample material to decide that
they all behaved atrociously- Apparently
the administration took the ground that
inasmuch Mr.. Huerta and his follow
were bad men, it was our duty TO
condone the evil committed by their OPP
.ponents. Father R. H. Tierney. OF New
:. York city, an entirely responsible man.
informs me that when Gin company with
two other gentlemen whose names ne
gives mel he called upon Mr.. Bryan to
bring to his attention the aoominaoie out
RACES committed on certain nuns by the
followers of CarEsnza and villa Ia. ME- L.
had information that the followers or
Huerta had committed similar outrases
on two American women from Iowa.
Catholic schools almost everywhere In
Mexico have been closed, institutions OF
learning sacked and libraries and as
Economical and other machinery Destroy
ed, the priests and nuns expeieo ny nun,
dreds and some of the priests Killed and
some of the nuns outraged The state
ments and affidarfts, submitted to me IN
the original and copies OF which nave
before me as write. set forth condlt1ons
which are literally appalling, and Tor
which. be 1t remembered. the actions OF
zMessrs. Wilson and Bryan nave maze
this country partly responsible
For example. Archbishop Blenk submit
ted to me an affidavit BY the prioress OF
Convent of Queretaro. This sets forth
from the personal knowledge OF the pSio-
ress how the churches have been pro-
famed by soldiers entering them on horse
back. breaking statues. trembling on
relics and scattering on the floor the
Sacred Hosts and even throwing them
chu-ches the revolutionaries have offered
mock masses and have In other ways.
some Of them too repuisive and loa tn
Red Terrorists OF the French Revolution
behaved in the churches OF Paris
The prioress states that she has her
self seen IN Mexico City nuns who have
been victims OF the passions OF the revo-
lutionary soldiers" and some whom she
found in their own homes Others IN hos
consequence are about to be delivered of
children She deposes: II have seen sol
sss sessed Sp 10 Win eopes sns
altar linen. and their women dressed up
lin alba. SUPPLIES. and coEporals used ~