The Washington herald., 1915-08-11
Forced Into Action IN Mexico.

The dispatch of two United States battleships
yesterday to Vera Cruz, Mexico. may be regarded
! as an actual step toward intervention more de-
termined step than the sending of naval force
to the same port over year ago to compel respect
from Victoriano Huerta for the United States
flag, for which expedition the consent of Congress
was asked The New Hampshire and Louisiana
should, and doubt will be- followed by other
warships and the men necessary to take possession
of the port, done the former occasion.
But when armed Americans next set foot in Mex
co it must be for the performance of a definite
task, and. it may be long in accomplishment
The public has been permitted 10 know some
thing of the appalling and shameful conditions in
Mexico City, and it is justified in the conclusion
that the situation in Vera Cruz is an acutcy dam
gerous one; otherwise the President would not
! be moved-before the pan-American con-
ference brought together by his invitation to dis
cuss Mexico's future has concluded its wors-to
adopt what all the Mexican factions will regard
as hostile course by sending ships of war to
Vera Cruz.
No one will be surprised by the threatening
demonstration against Americans in Vera Cruz,
since Carranza has become convinced that the
plans under discussion for the pacifcation of Mex
ieo do not contemplate recognition Of his govern
ment He has never manifested the least desire
to cooperate with this government for any other
purpose than to place himself in control and it
is more than apparent that he must be sub
ducd by force before there be peace. Nor
is greater confidence to be placed in Villa. He
is docile now because Carranzas strength and
position are vastly superior to his own. But his
agreement to accept this governments program
of pacifeaton, announced as having been made
with Cen Scott would be abrogated at any NOM
cnt that appeared propitious to Villa. What may
naturally be expected, in the event that the United
States is compelled to use force against Carranza
is that Villa will again join forces with him to
resist common enemy. In whatever manner
this nation may approach the task of substituting
peace and order for war and pillage in Mexico
il is almost certain to encounter the resistance of
all those factional leaders who not numbered
among the agents it selects for the restoration of
sound government.
Increasing terrorism and suffering in Mexico
has driven the Washington administration to
action in advance of any conclusion by the pan
American conference, and it is not at all prema-
ture to consider the possibility that the rapdty
of alarming developments has hurried the United
States into position from which it will be COM
PEELED to proceed alone. The South American
republics might have been quite willing to give
advice and share in any glory OF bloodless
achievement but with this nation already in
fair way to be compelled to resort to its guns, a
deadlock and ultimate collapse of the conference
at once suggests itself
The sentiment of the country, however. must
be that, if the outcome is intervention and
war in Mexico, the President in dispatching war
ships to Mexico has not acted moment too soon
1t is inconcevable that a further display of pa
tience and restraint his part could be regarded
even by the ultra -pacifsts, as virtue, in the !,
face of the despairing cries for succor coming |
from natives and foreigners in Mexico, starving, /
oppressed and terror stricken. Humanity Amer |
ica, cannot longer be deaf to their appeals for |,
rescue from their miserable state of existence To |
make in such would be righteous To !
permit such hideous wrongs to continue would be
TO the shame of America.