Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-04-22
PURSUIT OF VILLA LIKELY
TO PROVE SERIOUS PROBLEM
Difficulties of Long Chase After the "Fox Pointed Out By
Former Arizona NeWspaperman-Taft Policy is Little
Changed BY Present Administration

has become more and more acute.
Long before the present revolution
there was an ill-concealed antipathy
towards the Americans In most parts
OF Mexico. 1t was the American who
developed the country's resources,
who gave employment to its workers,
but that Mexico was unable to do this
for herself ranked and cankered, be-
came an open and unhealing sore to
the Mexican who benefited by such
development
For CarranZa to permit American
disaster at home, to provoke the an
tagonfsm of his own people. Not that
they loved Villa more but they "love"
the "Gringo" so much less. Villa has
been popular in northern Mexico. He
was far more popular along the bor-
der on the American side than Car
rama has been or ever will be, until
he made his attack on Columbus. The
recognition of CarranZa was consid-
cred by Americans along the border
as dangerous, IL not fatal, when that
action was taken at Washington. Car
rama, they declare, is not and has
never been strong enough to estab
fish and to maintain peace in Mexico.
Yet these same people in many in
stances have advocated Intervention.
They have deplored the permission to
export arms and munitions into Mexi-
CO. They point out that had an EN-.
barge been placed on arms at the out
break Of the Madero revolution Diaz
would never have been unseated and
compelled to flee.
When bullets fell thick across the
line into Douglas and four were killed
and Is wounded on the American side
In the days Of the Madero revolution,
when later Juarez was attacked and
FL Paso suffered rain Of lead, when
the residents Of Naco, Arizona. were
killed or wounded or driven for safe.
ty from their homes and that condi-
ton was permitted to continue for
days and weeks, then we're there loud
calls for intervention from the bor-
der. The invasion by Villa and the
Columbus massacre we're but little
more serious. in the eyes of Texans,
New Mexicans and Arfzonans.
The policy of Taft along the Next |
can border was little changed by the |
/
tic seaboard and in the north the SEN |
timent was all against Intervention |
and war with Mexico. Away from the |
border, conditions were not apprecl-
ated. American corporations with |
in Mexico were accused OF |
fostering conspiracy for Intervention !
while In reality such companies urged I
against 1t. 1t was the plain, everyday |
American citizen, the man who had
invested his all and his time and |
labor and strength in Mexico, the man
whose father, brother, sister or child
was shot by STRAY" bullets from over
the line who then clamored and who
viii continue to clamor for interven-
ton and the establishment and main
tenance of peace in Mexico by the
United States. These are the ones
who demand the assurance Of safety
for all Americans, wherever they may
be, in country supposedly at peace
with this nation, and especially the
protection of life, body and property
on the American side of the interna-
Eional line.
This article has not undertaken to
when the Pershing expedi-I
ton will come up with Villa. It's pur.
pose has not been unjustly to criticize
any one or any faction. It Is merely |
an effort to make clear the facts. to
sxplain the difficulties that have con-
ironted and still confront US in our
policy with Mexico.
Hundreds of millions of dollars OF
American capital is invested in Next
%. Much of this belongs to the small
in various corporations.
Those corporations are idle or work
,nly internationally and there is en-
allied upon this country q direct loss
II millions annually in dividends that
,annot be earned. But 1t is the fact
hat Americans are not safe in Mexico,
hat they have not been safe along
he border, that they have not had
he protection the American flag
should and is supposed to afford, that
ankles in the hes IS of the resident
If the states that order along the
Mexican frontier. thu has made him
insist on the necessity of Intervention
o conserve his rights.
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