Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-24
The Transformation Scene.

,sh I'D wnuid be fraught with ever,
risk of wrong and folly We can allV1i,S
10 exercise the self restraint OF y Eea Az
great nation which realzss -; 10 ssyyt
shall triumph as Mexicos tflenus sooISi
than we could triumph as her enema IT,
and how much more handsomely, w. W.
how much higher and inner SatlsAaSS't :
~ conscience and of honor--From Fresi'
dent Wilson'S special message 10 eoii'
gress last August
Americans have rejoiced that Presl-
dent Wilson has said that IN no con-
oeivahIe circumstance will we light
the people Of Mexico
Three days ago the Presidents hien
phrases about measures snort u
war" and pacific blockade" sounded
well to the thoughtless. Congress II
self in IFS haste to follow the President
because at last, he was ready 10 40
something" seems to have. thought no
more deeply than this nonsensicai
phraseology.
Today those phrases are all mean
ingless, exploded by the first shot at
Vera Cruz. Actual war exists The
blood of hundreds of Americans ana
Mexicans has stained the pretense.
The long boosted patience of our
President, is shown as indecision
washed with the appearance of long
suffering tolerance and forgiveness.
A petty incident has suddenly been
magnined a thousand fold-and we are
at war with all Mexico.
1t is bootless to close our eyes to the
painful truth. A condition of war ex-
lists. and the American government
has no policy but to extrieate itself, If
possible, from nasty mess.
The President has not taken the
country into his confidence. The
Congress was swept off its feet on the
war spirit impulse. and calm delibera-
ton was howled down with mob EN-
thusiasm" OF course we are all to
stand by the President, now that We
are ensnared, but o, the pity of it!
Why would not President Wilson
await the reducing Of the whole incl
dent to writing and signed in the form
of a protocol? The reason is made
plain in the unlooked-for message of
Carranza. the Constituencies gov
ernor who, in notifying the American
government that Mexicans would unite
to oppose the unwarranted invasion,
said:
the usurped title of the President
of the republic cannot invest General
Huerta with the right TO receive de-
mand for reparation on the part OF the
United States. nor the right to grant
satisfaction as due"
There is your reply-President Will
son feared, If he awaited the signing
Of a protocol, OF even the authorize
ton of the L. s. Congress, that it
would mean the formal recognition of
Huerta.
Huerta is a hated dictator but the
Constitutionalists win rally to his
support and bridge their own gulf, be-
cause the dignity of their nation has
received injustice and insult.
We have mouthed much over 'es-
tablishing foreign confidence in US by
generous Interpretation lin favor of
foreign railroads and capitalists) of a
treaty expression. And yet We go
forth with a fourteen-inc gun to
avenge the sting of mosquito. The
consistency" of the American ad-
ministration is sickening.
For instance, consider the aspect OF,
the American government, after volley
on yolley of studied insults against
the man whom our President refuses
to recognize, in sending diplomatic
notes to the same ''usurper' and final
ly making war upon him and slaught
ering those who believe in him and
are loyal to himl How is that for an
example of consistent craftsmanship?
Does 1t not compare we'll with the
face-abouts on canal tolls and on wo-
man suffrage?
Carranza's message shows that we
have reaped the whirlwind from the
wind sown by our President. OF
course it is our duty" to follow
blindly, those who make war and
never smell blood.
Would to God that the President,
his secretary of state and official adj
visers had brave sons that could not
escape service in the Mexican war
which their laundering incompetence
has created.
Yesterday our President was making
war on a man because Of his own I'M
warranted prejudice; today the
American people are forced into war