Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-03
MEXICO

all the other red hot condiments.
The complications which threatened to in
volve us have gradually been adjusted. and,
helped out by the pressure of other war news,
Mexico has dropped out of the magazines for
several months. Since the beginning OF the
year, however, there has been a revival Of
magazine comment on Mexico, occasioned in
part by the final withdrawal Of our troops
from Vera Cruz and by the Presidents refer
ences to Mexico in his recent indianapolis
speech.
VI ~ current magazine articles ommen
Ing on Mexican affairs, none is particularly
optimistic, nor do they give unqualified in
aorsement to the situation. Three are mainly
neutral in tone, four strongly oppose the
Administration policy in Mexico and three
indorse 1t, though asking questions which
they leave unanswered as to where we are
coming out.
summing UP events Of the last month in
Mexico, an editorial article in the Review of
Reviews says ID:
ane presidents sympathies are for the
Ereat mass OF plain people in Mexico who,
through revolutionary struggle. NAV coma
into a heritage that has hitherto been denied
no tmenn' There is much to be said for this
poIcy. on the other hand, It Is hard to
follow the confused and chaotic movement
OF military factions in Mexico and discover
anything that looks much like a war for bu-
man progress and welfare. Yet out OF IL ALI
one must believe that there will come land
REFORM, better institutions for Justice, mod
ern klnus or taxation, general education and
national government resting upon broader and
deeper foundations. One thing is quite certain,
anu mat is that no important factor or ele-
nlent IN Mexico has desired our interference,
and that with our present army we could not
nave gone into Mexico to restore order and
reconstruct the country.
We should have been Obliged to create a
large volunteer army and would in all like
shood nave embarked upon a war of fright
full bloodshed and vicissitudes.
General Eulalio Gutierrez, who had been
appointed Provisional President on November
= by the convention of the Constitutionalist
leaders, was deposed by that same conven-
tlon on January II at the instance of General
villa. In his place was installed General
Rogue Gonzales Cara, who had formerly been
secretary to President Madero. Nobody sup
poses that he will hold the place for more
than a few days or weeks. 1t was reported
that the followers of Villa were preparing
TO abandon the city of Mexico, and that the
Carranza faction would perhaps be allowed
to regain possession of the capital. Villa was
said to be planning for a northern Republic,
which would include the States lying along
the American border. 1t does not seem likely
that peace and prosperity for Mexico are to
come by the process of partititioning the
country. though even that is a possible solu-
ton. Villas choice for the civil headship is
General Felipe Angeles, whose relative fitness
seems to be acknowledged.
What Is Watchful Waiting?
In "Our Duty in Mexico" (2), the indie
pendent reaffirms its Endorsement of the Pres
dents policy, but admits that 1t is puzzled:
From the beginning of his Administration
we have supported the Presidents Mexican
policy. We have done so because we be-
lieved 1t to be founded on a perfectly sound
basis. We believe with the President that
every people has the right to determine its
own form of government. We sympathize
with the aspirations OF the Mexicans to rule
themselves. We hope that they will ulti-
mately achieve political liberty. We would
nor haVa fha limited Gfafng ipfarfara NTH
their endeavors to work out their own po-
lltical destiny in their own way.
as nh The T Eey0ote no oS S Sis M MP wanch noIiov waiting ting
he has repeatedly, though spasmodically,
acted in quite another way. AS one result of
his actions, as distinguished from his beliefs,
IT American fighting men died and more than
100 Mexicans have been killed by American
arms. AS another, the American navy has
army has ruled that city for months. AS
another, three great South American powers
have interviewed to save us from war with
a Mexican administration. Is all this watch
full waiting?
An article on Mexico and Human Liberty"
leaves with the reader several unanswered
questions go:
AT indianapolis the President indicated
broadly but clearly his attitude toward Mex
ico-one OF complete and scrupulous Austen
ton. The President Is assuredly right In
giving to the Mexicans the utmost practic-
able opportunity Of recovering their self
possession and OF establishing some kind of
political order. He is right In sympathizing
with their devotion to national independence.
Armed intervention by this country in Mex
leo would bring with 1t consequences, bur-
dens and risks which might be more costly
TO the American than to the Mexican people.
But Is the President wise in serving notice ON
the Mexican generals that no matter how
wantonly they fight among themselves, their
fighting is consecrated in the name of human
liberty and is safe from outside interference?
Are the Mexicans not much more likely to
compose their differences in case they are
aoEad m rApOaniZe the existence Of IN milf
mate international police power and OF its
possible application to their Discussions?
And Is the President wise in believing that
the European nations and the American peo-
pie will continue TO share his attitude OF en-
tire responsibility for an indefinitely perpetu-
ated condition of anarchy In Mexico?
There Is much to be said for 'watchful
waiting" as a tentative Mexican policy, but
not even the most reckless passion for the
word liberty can justify its transformation
into an immaculate and absolute dogma.
What the EI-Presidents Think
1t is not to be expected that our two ex-
Presidents, Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Roosevelt.
should take a sympathetic view of anything
President Wilson does. They differ too funda-
mentally, in temperament as well as politics.
They have not. however. h~esitated to express
their opinions, and they are quoted In an ar
tlcle, "Uncle Sam and the Mexican Buzz
Saw" 90;
Mr.. Roosevelt fires a broadside at the Ad-
ministration. He finds an "unbroken course
OF more or less furtive meddling in the in
ternal AFFAIRS OF Mexico, carried TO a pitch
which imposes on this nation a grave re-
sponsibility for the wrongdoing Of the VIC
torious faction" The defense OF our course
that the President has kept us out OF a war
with Mexico he scouts as futile.
on the contrary, We are told he plunged
US into war when our troops were sent 10
Vera Cruz. 1t was a peculiarly unwise, L.
noble and inehicient war" but It was war
none the less. IL was the clear duty OF Pres.
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