The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-03-09
Rooseuelt On Mexico

zine, from the pen Of Theodore Roosevelt, who
confesses that the United States is in no posi-
ton to criticise anything that is transpiring in
Europe after tolerating four years of anarchy
south of the Rio Grande. 80
Mr.. Roosevelts position in America gives his.
burning words weight that attach to the utter
ances of probably no other recognized magazine
writer of today, and his article in the Metro
politan is certain to create wide discussion, if it
does not crystalline sufficient public sentiment,
to force something in regard to Mexico beyond
"watchful waitings." .. D.. ~ .'t#} etlii
Recently President Wilson has spoken on
the subject of Mexico in a speech at Indian
apolis," writes Mr.. Roosevelt AT the begin4
ming of his speech he says, got very tired staying
in Washington and saying sweet things / wanted
to come out and get in touch with you once more
and say what / really thought Disregarding the
implication as to his own past sincerity con-
tanned in this statement. we have right to take
the speech as expressing his deliberate convic-
tion and purpose. He says that he possesses "a
reckless enthusiasm for human liberty and then
speaks of his own policy OF watchful waiting in
Mexico Apparently, in his. mind 'watchful
waiting is a species Of rockies enthusiasm He
asserts that the people Of Mexico have right tol
do anything they please about their business.
saying, 1t is none of my business; it is none Of
your business how long they take in determining
yours how they go about the business. Haven't
the European nations taken as long as they
wanted and spilled as much blood as they pleased
in settling their affairsl Shall we deny that to
Mexico because she is weak?
This is the kind of language that can be
used about Mexico with sincerity only if it is
also to be applied to Dahomey and to outrages
like those Of the French Commune. 1t cannot IN
the long be accepted by any great state
LxAt
statesman with serious purpose to better man
kind. In point of public morality it is funda-
mentally as evil declaration as has ever been
put forth by an American President in treating
of foreign affairs; and there is to it the added
touch of ineffciency. Moreover, President Will
sons words, bad though they are, have not been
borne out by his deeds He has actively inter-
fered in Mexico on behalf of some of those spill
ers of blood whose right to- spill blood he ex5
uberantly champions He has not interfered to
punish the bandits and murderers who have
killed American men and outraged American
women. He has not interfered to protect the
honor and the interest of the United States. He
has not interfered to protect the lives and the
property of our citizens of the Citizens Of any
other country. But he has interfered to help pat
into power the very worst among the leaders Of
the various murderers and thieting groups and
factions. President Wilson and Secretary Bryan
have refused to run the risk of shedding The
blood of any American soldiers to protect Ameri
can citizens and put a stop to anarchy and MUIR
der and prevent further blood-spilling or to try
to bring peace to the distracted land of Mexico
They have refused to run the risk of shedding
the blood Of any American soldier in order to
prevent the killing of American soldiers and
American private citizens on our own territory
by Mexicans who shot at or toward them from
the other side Of the border line The rape Of
women, the murder of men aud the cruel treat
ment of little children leave their tepid souls
unstirred. Insult to the American flag, name
less infamies American women, cause them
not one single pulse of emotion But they have
wantonly and without the smallest excuse and
without the smallest benefit to this country shed
the blood OF twenty American soldiers and sailors
in order to help put one blood-stained bandit in
the place of another blood stained bandit.
a Murder and torture; rape and robbery; the
death OF women by outrage and children by
starvation; the shooting of men by the thou
sands in cold blood-Mr. Wilson takes note Of
these facts only to defend the right OF vicious
and disorderiy MeMcans to 'spilP as much as
they please of the blood of their peaceful fellow
citizens and of law abiding foreigners. But when
the chance came for him to use the army and
navy of the United States in favor of the worst
offender among all the rival bandit chiefs, he
eagerly clutched at it. The administration has
repeatedly announced that it will not interfere
in Mexico and that it will avoid war with Mex
leo. As matter Of fact it has interfered con-
tinually and always with bad effect, and it has
actually carried on with Mexico-although
the war was OF peculiarly futile and inglorious
type President Wilson, in the name OF the
American people, has taken Vera Cruz for no
good reason, and then has abandoned it for no
reason whatever. 1t hasdbeen said that we went
down there n-Order to get the American flag
saluted; but we went away without getting the