The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-05-19

co, Vera Cruz and Mazatlan, with
1000 or more Of our regular army
in possession Of a Mexican city and
with the rest of our available force
assembling at convenient strategic
points for possible further invasion
of Mexican territory, it may occur to
some that it is not appropriate to have
a peace Sunday or to hold a peace
meeting. For those Of us, however,
who hope that we may not be in
volved in further warlike activity or
in actual war, there could be no time
more fitting for an expression of that
hope. .
With Difference to the views Of
others, it is my judgment, that il, in
our course toward Mexico during the
last year, we had not exerted such
direct influence as we have to aid
one of the c~ontending parties, We
would not now be so near general in
tervation and war. Nor would we
have been so responsible for law and
order in Mexico to the world, as we
are now likely to be If a new govern
ment comes into power through our
influence. But not for this reason,
can 1 or any n who agrees with me
in this, fail to approve and applaud
every honorable. effort that our gov
eminent can make, and is making to
avoid Intervention and further con-
| fict.
II yield to no man in my earnest
desire for peace and in my detesta-
I ton Of war, but an advocacy of peace
| that ignores conditions and takes no
note of what is practical is futile and
ineffective. Threatened war between
two stable nations is much easier to
deal with than such a condition as
confronts US in Mexico.
What we have in Mexico to contend
with is the disease of revolution,
Eighty per cent of the people are
ignorant and il~literate. They ave suf.
fered wrong n are struggling blindly
with purpose more or less ill-defined
in a state of society whose bonds are
almost entirely loosed. A three years
old war has laid waste the country
destroyed it's industry, and exposed
all foreigners resident in the country
to rlawless violence and all their in
Vestments there to destruction. II
has. in fact, become an internatioaa
nuisance.
In such a case a neighboring ma
ton may properly intervene and heli
the forces of law and order to end
such anarchy just because it wishes tt
live in a quiet neighborhood, and mo-
from a spirit Of conquest and greed Of
| IGETIIOTy. vi curse Tic ulSCIdI6S VI
a neighborly. duty of imperfect obliga'
ton like this, involving expenditure
of life and treasure, a nation is entire
ly justified In seeking every honor
able means to avoid, and in assumint
it only when no other course Is pos
sible. But If we are to be involved
in war because of Mexican anarchy
let us have it fully understood that w
go into it in the service Of mankind,
as the president phases it, and not up
on the issue of a mere punctilio II
naval ceremonial. Let us not entel
lightly or unadvisedly upon a course
that will involve a sacrifice the extern
OF which ma we'll make us pause.
There are 100000 people II
Mexico. Much of it is in the tropics
There r 100000 square miles. Large
parts Of it are trackIess deserts
large parts of it are difficult mountain
ranges; large parts of it are tropica
) jungle and forest. We have say. So,
900 mobile troops of the regular arm!
/ fit to take the field in Mexico. If tn,
available military force of Mexican
trained and made hardy by a three
|, Years war were to be massed agains
] or troops, we shold need a much large
! force than we now have, to captur,
the large strategic inland towns. Al
4 ter we had captured them and dis
: persed the armies, the forces agains
! US would adopt a system Of guerrill
warfare. That Is easy to carry ON an
49,