The Washington times., 1915-05-29
IN MEXICO AND IN EUROPE

adopt such measures as may be
necessary to get food supplies into
Mexico, in order to save the civil
population from starvation, and to
obviate the menace of great
plague which, sweeping that coun-
try, might endanger this. 1t is not
apparent how he is to get food into
the country and into the hands of
the people who desperately need it
unless he shall suppress the fac
tions that are now interfering with
all efforts to serve the people in
this way.
Mexico has it's millions of people
who are willing and anxious to
work; but the years of rapine and
destruction through which the
country has passed have discour-
aged most of them about trying to
produce anything. Why raise cattle
that will be driven off by any ma
rauding party that chooses to call
itself a revolution? Why plant
crops that will never be harvested,
or if harvested will be stolen? In
fact, so long as honest industry is
not permitted to the people willing
to work, why should they not join
the bandits and steal that which
they cannot get in any other way?
That has been the process of rea-
soning through which Mexico has
drifted into its present condition of
economic exhaustion. The money is
almost worthless, the industries
closed, crops implanted, and seed
for them has largely been eaten or
destroyed. It is fearful state of
affairs.
Mexico, ignorant and incapable of
high economic organization, has let
war ruin it, while the European
countries, capable of vigorous effort
and of increasing their efficiency,
are meeting the war problem in an
entirely different way. Destruction
and industry go on side by side,
interfering with each other as little
as may be. More food will be raised
in Germany this year than last, it
is said; and the same is claimed
for Britain. These things are pos
sible in highly civilized communi-
ties, but they are not possible save
where there is strong government
and a definite, understanding pur-
pose among all the people. Mexico
will starve where Europe will pro-
duce more breadstuffs than ever be-
fore.
When the people of Belgium were
brought to the verge of starvation
through the violation of their neu-
trality-a neutrality guaranteed
among the rest by the violator-the
United States made no protest,
though at least that much might
we'll have been done in civilizations
behalf. Perhaps the Washington
Government has discovered that
sitting calmly by and seeing the
worlds law and peace and decencies
ripped to shreds, is not popular;
perhaps, in short, it is going all too
tardily to attempt to do the thing
for Mexico that ought in some
fashion to have been done long ago
and that in a different form ought
to have been done for Belgium.
Watchful waiting has killed two
years and thousands of people; il
now comes to the point of despera
ton where it cannot be permitted
longer, and the United States mus
at last assume and recognize a re
sponsibility that has grown vastly
the more weighty by reason of fail
ure earlier to attend to it. Becaus,
of delays and gatherings, too, tn,
greater task must be taken up a
the most unfortunate time, becaus,
of international difficulties in othel
quarters. The United States hai
no time or energy for an interven
ton in Mexico lust now; il ma,