Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-23
THE MATTER WITH MEXICO.


is utterly opposed to intervention in
The affairs of that republic by the Uni
ted States. The rulers and the people
are anxious to avoid conflict with the
United States and on the other hand
the government and people of the Uni
ted States have no desire to intervene,
but are anxious to avoid all OCCASIONS
for it. They wish to have it avoided
because it will be a costly production
of future trouble and destruction of
the hopes Of friendly relations with
all Latin American republics. What,
therefore, is the matter with Mexico
that there should be danger that both
nations and the people are anxious tc
avoid?
The New York World recently pub
lished what purported to be message
to the American people from the first
chief, Carranza, as his first official
announcement of conditions in the re-
public of which he is the head.
Its chief points, as briefly summar-
lied, are:
That American troops be taken out
of Mexico to patrol the border on our
side, while the de facto government
protects life on the other side, where
it has already quelled armed opposi-
ton except in sporadic cases; that the
people may not understand why anoth
er nations troops hould occupy their
territory; that Villas forces are dis
persed and incapable of further ser
ious action; that opponents of the gov
eminent are beaten and 'toiling trait
orously to bring about intervention
that these bandits are abbetted by
American and other foreign sym
pathizers on United States territory;
that it would be tragically regrettable'
if enemies of Carranza and his party
and enemies of Wilson and his party
should succeed in bringing about war
between the United States and Mex
leo; and that the Staying of foreigners
in Mexico may be laid to Villa and his
bandits 1t is further said that the
Mexican people are not starving and
have plenty of work; peace will come
soon with the aid of the United States,
and it is not true that Carranza
pledged allegiance to Huerta, or had
intrigues with Germany or any other
foreign nation"
Besides this manifesto attributed to
Carranza there comes from Mexico
City an editorial statement from the
official government organ on the grav-
ity of the international situation This
article as we find it in the New York
Journal Of Commerce, speaks of the
tremendous danger of war" which
is not desired on either side. 1t re-
fers TO the sacrifices and anguish of
the struggle of Mexico to purify its po-
litical organization and regain the lib
critics Of its people, which would be
rendered sterile by an absurd and
unjust war" 1t says that the struggle
has encountered constant difficulties
from Washington which have been met
with impartiality and good faith,
while refugee Mexicans, capitalists,
Catholics and American Adventures
on this side have plotted to undo the
work Of revolution" The stupid ag-
erosion" of Villa is connected with
these elements" of the frontier which
are trying to overthrow the constitu-
tionalist government and disturb the
tranquility of the United States. The
punitive expedition is spoken of as
prolonging a conflict which should be
settled by sensible and equitable
agreement through diplomatic chan
nels" 1t is hoped that President VIII
son will not tear up the prestige he
has gained by Enchanting war
which nothing can justify which is
opposed to the collective interests of
both countries and the result OF
which would never again have the
confidence of single Latin-Amer-
lean nation"
Surely, this is an abominable situa-
ton for two nations side by side, with
a common boundary, anxious to pre-
serve peace with each other, and to
maintain friendly relations for their
mutual advantages, and who have a
horror of coming into armed conflict,
and vet are in imminent danger Of be-
coming involved in just what they
dread and are DESTROYS OF escaping.