St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-04-29
The War With Mexico

What has been freely predicted in
our relations with the republic OF
Mexico has come to pass and not
withstanding the care with which
the resolution passed by congress we
are engaged in a war with Mexico.
The incidents which precipitated the
conflict are too we'll known to war
rant repetition. The flag OF the
United States has been insulted and
the full demands of the United States
regarding an apology were not COM
piled with on the part of the defacto
president and Mexican territory has
been seized This was not done with
out considerable loss of life and the
splitting of blood has carried the arm
ed Intervention of this country into
actual war.
No American now stops to ques-
ton the past but insistently demands
satisfaction for the affront that has
been given this nation. 1t is proper,
however, to consider the real causes
of the war and place the responsible
ity for the same. President Wood
low Wilson is the only person re-
sponsible for the shedding of Ameri-
can blood in Mexican territory. His
refusal to recognize Pres. Huerta,
his declaration that the United States
would never recognize Huerta, his
demand that Pres. Huerta should va
cate the office, his secret connivance
and encouragement of the rebels in
northern Mexico, and his lifting of
the embargo on arms are responsible
for the spirit of hostility on the part
OF Huerta that drove him to openly in
suit and defy this nation. There is
the full responsibility and almost
without exception they are acts that
should never have been committed
by this nation.
The justification Of the president
by congress is most inadequate and
one that will cause Americans much
shame in the future. The president
opened fire on the Mexicans before
congress had acted upon the resolu-
ton justifying him in that action,
something he doubtless had the right
to do, but he was very insistent that
congress should only justify him in
his attack upon the forces of Huerta.
He still asks the American nation to
back him in his personal spite against
Huerta. This is not an honorable
purpose nor one that will satisfy
those who consider it erom the i'm
partial standpoint of history. 1t has
won in the heat of partisanship but
will never justify us before the in
ternational tribunal.
Some members of congress at
tempted to place our action on
broader ground. Senators Root and
Lodge were very anxious that the
justification of the president should
be based upon the statement that the
unrest, violence and anarchy which
exist in Mexico, the numerous un-
checked and unpublished murders of
American citizens and the spoilation
of their property in that country, the
impossibility of securing protection
or redress by diplomatic methods IN
the absence of lawful or affective
authority, the inability of Mexico to
discharge its international obliga-
tions, the unprovoked insults and
indignities inflicted upon the flag
and the uniform of the United States
by the armed forces in occupation of
large parts of Mexican territory,
have become intolerabIe.
Such a declaration would have sim
ply recognized the actual conditions
there and pledged the government to
the performance of its full duty in
Mexico. Under the joint resolution
as passed the United States makes no
pledge to protect property, maintain
order or protect human life, it sim
ply says 1t will use its military and
naval forces to compel Huerta to fire
twenty-one guns before the United
States acknowledges this satisfaction
by a return salute. United States has
entered this war in a most puerile
and disgraceful manner at the be-
hest of it's president but there is a
great probability that before IL is
ended this country win be forced to
abandon its attempt to down one
murderer and exalt another and full
ly meet its international obligations.
The pity is that the president insists
on ignoring them to the very last