Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-07-10
POLICY N MEXICO
HIS AVOIDED VIA.
WspE HfiECG NEilH IN FtEl2ON's
HANDLING OF Most DELI
CATE SITUATION.

point 20 which many public men in
this city now point in cons.deriDs The
Mexican situation is the fact that the
president has avoided wal.
When it is recollected how close
the United States was to war, when
it is recalled that it was engaged for
a time in an act OF war; the fact thaC
President Wilson has confined the
operations exactly to the dimensions
he first Laid out for hostlities, will be
regarded as marking IA new era in in
ternational relations.
The second tact to which the pres
ident's admir- ers refer with satisfac-
ton is that the United States by ac-
cepting mediation has set its rela-
tons with the South American re-
pubiics on new footing. At the out
set mediation was the butt of the
scorD of the jingoeists in all parts of
the country, because it appeared 70
abandon the Monroe doctrine, and to
make American control of the South
American situation matter OF equal
partnership with countries that held
very small minority of the stock
necessary to its enforcement.
AS events have progressed, it has
been seen that the Monroe doctrine
has been not in the least injured by
this partnership; in fact, 1T has been
strengthened, because it is now a
Pan-American policy. It's acceptance
and enforcement by four important
American countries brings :; nearer
a place in international law.
History of Wilson's Making.
The results seem certain to loom
large liz history. 1t will be history OF
Woodrow Wilson's making, ror there
is hardly any pretense that he re-
ceived valuable aid either from his
countryment or his congressman.
Neither the Democrats nor the Re-
publicans in the senate have set the
slightest store by his policy OF
"watchful waiting The people at
large are usually for action. They
do not catch the Intermediate steps
in a policy. 1t is hardly to the dis
credit of either, however, that this
was so, because the president never
took anybody into his confidence. He
displayed in this matter the same self
confidence he has shown in other mat
ters. He has kept his own counsel.
The policy followed does not recog-
nize the value of town meeting
treatment of international policy. AS
little does it admit the validity OF
partizan divisions on such subject.
The president has had no town meet
ings. He has striven to avoid parti-
zan divisions in congress. He has
been successful in both by a course
of withholding information.
President Wilson has steadily
fought against war. If he shall have
brought some sort of a permanent
settlement to Mexico without this
catastrophe to his own country ne
will not only have saved great exer-
tons and losses, but have brought
about a new method of dealing with
neighboring states.
Wilson's Contribution to Peace.
= Whether this will be permanent
will depend on the Mexicans them
selves. There is good ground for be-
lieving that the results will be perma-
nent. The best Mexicans are tired OF
fighting. Villa himself is ready to
get out of military uniform. All the
Mexicans who are fighting now ask
is that their laws be enforced prop
erly. They will give the next presi-
dent fair chance. The men who
have brought the present revolution
to success will not be the men to start
another without grave cause. The
president has calculated all the chan
ces in Mexico and concluded that the
best thing that could be done was to
assist into power a party pledged to
bring about reform, and which now
has the backing of national army
capable of keeping the peace while
reforms work themselves out.
This is the contribution Of the Will
son administration to peace. The
presidents course will be criticized
in the future as it has in the past.
The slightest slip of the government
that will go into effect when the me-
dators, as now seems probable, ad-
journ with their work done. will be
loaded on his administration. Thus
the credit President Wilson will get
out of the settlement may be recog-
nized as splendid effect by the
whole civilized world, but his own
satisfaction in it will depend on
whether the victorious party in Next
co makes such use of its opportunities