Evening journal., 1915-06-04

Just how far the address whlch ne
has Just issued to the American peo-
pie commits him to forcible interven-
tion in Mexico President Wilson alone
knows It is directed to none of the
ad interim military administrations
now claiming authority in Mexico; II
is not diplomatic communication at
all
Nevertheless Il will reach Carranza,
villa. zapata. Cara and the other
faction leaders across the Rio Grande
and must be taken by them as a no
tice that the United States will no
longer hold aloof while they conduct
a war of determination against one
another and against the prostrate ron
combatant population of Mexico. They
will gather from il that the Presi-
dent has tired of looking on benevo-
lently at process which he not long
ago euphemistically described as a de-
termination by the Mexican people of
their own form of government.
The old policy of "watchful wait
ing" is Wrapped in cerements. But
what of the new policy of helpful ao-
ton? Is the latter 10 have no kim
shin whatever with the former? No
definite method of Intervention is sug-
gested in yesterdays address. There
is no word about putting an embargo
on the expectation of arms and am
munition from this country for the
use of the Mexican revolutionary fac
tions. There Is not even warning
To the rival military administrations
that they must not appropriate or In
torfere with the delivery OF food sup
plies sent by the American Red Cross
to starving non-cOmbatants. More
over, there is a decidedly looking
backward suggestion in the Presi-
dents statement that "it (the United
States government must presently do
what It has not hitherto done, or fell
at liberty to do. lend its active moral
support to some man or group OF
men, il such may be found, who can
rally the suffering people of Mexico
! to their support i'm an effort to ignore
| II they cannot unite, the warning
| factions of the country, return to the
constitution of the republic so Ions
in abeyance and set up a government
! at Mexico City which the great pow
ers of the world can recognize anc
deal with"
Intervention to accomplish the ends
which Mr. Wilson has in view canno
get very far in distracted, disofgan
lied, lawless Mexico il il has at III
command no more effective weapon o
paciication than pure moral sup
port"
There is, as the philosopher of Ec
clesiastes says, "a time for every pur
pose under the heaven a tim'
to plant and time to pluck up tha
which is planted" Whatever its ulti
mate effect. the public cannot fail t
find in Mr.. Wilson's explanation o
his change Of attitude toward Mexi
co a disappointing belatedness, jar
ring untimeliness. His description o
conditions across the Rio Grande Il
not exaggerated. Yet that descrip
tion would have applied Just as wei
TO the conditions of six months ago
even a year ago. Anarchy is now onl.
little more advanced. What fore
sight should have made full allow
ance for hindsight now lamely admits
Six or eight or twelve months ag'
| our hands we're free, We could hav'
intervened without any danger, with
out putting our feeble military re
sources TO an excessive strain. Nov
we may have TO strain them at
moment when We are entangled in
controversy with a powerful Euro
pean nation. war with which will ties
all our strength.
We give hostages to fortune reck
lessly when we say that we shall
probably undertake 10 help Mexici
save herself and her people, AS Gen
eral Huerta says, most Of the MeXi
cans who are in arms will fight u
rather than permit us TO save then
against their will. Even those whom
we rescue from starvation will resen
any effort on our part TO control thei
political destiny
The country. as a result OF IN
Presidents warning. faces task Il
Mexico which il will be humiliating &
drop and vet hazardous under exist
ing circumstances 10 carry througl
Ii we arc committed TO forcible inter
,ention land no other form is likel
10 accomplish any thing the govern
ment ought 10 double or triple ou
military strength at once We lac
mobile army large enough TO pacii
Mexico against her will. and VIC ha,
only a 1.-THE Of the troops needed
case we encounter resistance fro
Germany IN the assertion Of the rich
Of neatrals on tho high seas.
The only logical thing to do is
get Congress in session as soon