New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-02
An Extra Session Advisable.

+or3.v h,,t withheld until to-day, he ought
. a..or,,s-v it with a call for an extra
session Of Congress.
However mild a form the threat Of IN
PREVENTION in Mexico may take-whethei "
begips merely with am embargo on the
exporta.ion from this country Of arms and
ammunition 10 the Mexican factions or Is
limited in scope to securing The delivery OF
food 70 starving n-combatants-there Is
every prospect, in the state of anarchy to
which Mexico has now sunk, that interview
ton will end in forcible pacifcation.
The faction chiefs now contending Tor
mower and plumber are interested IN nav
ing anarchy or semi-anarchy continue
They are bleeding the non-comhatant popu-
lstion white as it has been the custom OF
their kind from time immemorial to 40
They will cooperate IN facilitating rehef
from the outside TO their victims only on
the condition that they shall be permitted
20 resume their work Of devastation after
the situation has been temporarily in
proved.
The American government can hope Tor
little real aid from Villa, Carranza ano
Zapata in restoring that degree Of order
in Mexico which viii permit a general re-
sumption Of peaceful pursuits. Without
such a resumption the great work Of char
ity undertaken by the American Red Cross
will 20 practically 90 waste. Once we
embark on Intervention rs national
policy no one can see the end.
The Tribune set forth very fully last
Sunday its reasons for thinking any sort
of intervention in Mexico at this juncture
imprudent and inopportune. This country
is now committed TO one great interna-
tioDal task. We have undertaken to cham
pion the rights Of neutral nations on the
high seas-rights threatened by the keen
desire Of each set Of the be.hgerents OF
Europe to interrupt neutral commerce
with the other set and by tho unlegalized
measures Of reprisal which have been
adopted DN tdCu FtL u NS-4''s+~''-.N- 80 49,
plea Of military necessity.
We have come very close 70 break
with Germany on the question Of safe
guarding American ships from illegal at
tack and ON the further question Of secur-
ing TO Americans who may he travelling
on unarmed enemy merchantmen the hui
name treatment guaranteed TO them by
the existing rules Of warfare at sea. We
are determined to hold Germany account
able for murderous acts like the sinking
of the Lusitauia, and there is grave doubt
whether the German government will
acknowledge culpabnity ard agree to
abandon the lawiess campaign against
merchant shipping, from which not alone
the United States bat many other neutral
nations have unjustly suffered.
We have our hands fun at present, with
out venturing upon a mission which may
tie up a large share Of our military re
sources in Mexico 1t is we'll 10 remembe,
that if we 80 70 war with Germany il
defence Of our rights on the high seas, i
will not be war Of words only. We shal
not merely sever diplomatic and bushes
relations and call that war.
Our honor, our dignity and our self
respect VIII compel US 70 DO all we ca
to bring Germany % terms by force. "
shall not be in the position Of Japan. ia
nan went TO war for the sole purpose o
eliminating Germany as a colony holder i
the Far East. Her field Of operations wa
local and self-limited. We shall have ap
pealed 70 arms 70 right wrong sufere
in European waters, not 70 repel an az
erosion in our own hemisphere. Gu
cause Of war will have been world-wid
in character. and we shall have TO accep
the gage thrown down by Germany in an.
and every sphere Of operations in whcl
our forces can meet hers.
Whether We consider the minor problem
of Intervention in Mexico or the majo
problem Of a clash with Germany, on
need Of immediate military preparation
is obvious. We are far weaker in a mill
tary sense than we ought TO be, and no
day should be lost In making good GU
deficiencies. Congress can meet only o.
thirty days notice. But action by Con
gress is absolutely necessary before tn
army and navy can be properly strength
.red and provision can be made for Co
Letting the arms, munitions, equipmen
and stores which we now lack
The navy is weakest in submarines
the arm most needed in coast defence
For either offensive or defensive opers