New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-17
THE PRESIDENTS RESPONSIBILITY
To Him Alone VIII Belong the Blame
for Intervention If Ii Comes.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir. From various quarters in these Iat-
ter DAYS come hints and anxious sugges-
lions that certain sinister forces are ham,
pering the President in his Mexican pol
icy and are rendering ineffective his wise
and humane endeavors. At one moment
section OF the press is to blame; at an
other, mysterious references are made 70
great interests which seek selfshly to
plunge the country into war. Pathetic
pictures are drawn by these nervous sup
porters of the President Of the horrors
and atrocities Of war. They remind us
that Intervention would cost husbands
and sons and sweethearts: that it would
entail immeasurable misery suffering and
sorrow; that il would crystalline Latin
American antagonsm; that Il would bur-
den the nation with colossal debt and
iinpoverlsh It with a new and reverend
ing pension roll.
Nobody questions all this. But what
does this nervous anxiety on the part OF
the Presidents supporters mean? AS one
reviews the history and faces the facts
OF the situation. this dread lest the Presi-
dent Le forced 20 intervene seems 10 in
him from bearing the burden Of respon-
sibiity for his own policy. They seek
10 make it appear that he alone has stood
like a mighty bulwark against interven-
ton. He is the good angel that has
stood with flaming sword on the Mexican
border and said to the mad hosts OF
American invaders. Thus far shalt thou
come and no farther And now the
mighty arm is growing weary, and there
is danger that this great hero Will be
compelled TO yield 10 the wild clamor OF
the frenzied mob. Verify. these nervous
supporters do protest too much.
The cold truth is that the American
people have refused 20 become excited.
There has been no clamor for interven-
ton. A small section Of the press and a
few interested parties have perhaps advo-
Gated it, But the one thing that has
been clear I'm the midst Of all the con-
fusion is that the people OF the United
States do not want Intervention. They
have remained calm and cool. Their re-
fusal TO grow excited is the finest tribute
10 the good sense OF the people during
our national history.
The policy OF the President toward
Mexico is his own policy. Those who diff
fered from him have been anxious not
TO embarrass him. They are willing that
he shall have the honor If his policy
succeeds, but they are not willing to
shoulder the blame If the policy fails.
The real misgiving on the part OF press
and people concerning the Presidents
policy fs due 20 the fear that this policy
spells Intervention. They do not desire
intervention, but they are apprehensiVe
lest intervention be the inevitable out
come of the Presidents policy. And If in
PREVENTION does come. It will not be be-
cause the press and people forced tho
President into it. but because the Presi-
dent took position that forced the coun-
try into it.
II is too late in the day for eager wor-
shippers Of the President to befos the
issue. II we escape without Intervention.
then the President deserves the credit; II
we drift into intevvtntion. he cannot es-
cane the responsibility.
RUFUS p. JOHNSTON.
New York. March 6, 1914