The Washington herald., 1916-03-14
Urgent Work for Congress.

"a 6~nk w VI ava SSnSA SSSs
Senator Borah spoke for practical well as
patriotic craftsmanship yesterday when he urged
the Senate to postpone discussion of a water
power bill and proceed to the work of preparing
the nation for war. But for the exhibition of in.
difference in Congress during the year and halt
in which have frequently been near to war,
the country would be amazed at the spectacle OF
the Senate for a moment tolerating talk about a
water-p9wer measure now that we in truth
face to face with war with Mexico, for which
we arc not prepared, in spite of the assertion OF
the misinformed advocate of the water-power
bill.
President Wilson has ordered that Villa and
his band of murderers be pursued and captured
and that means that American soldiers are going
into Mexico. There cannot possibly be turning
back now. The attitude of the ungratcful, semi
barbarian Carranza leaves us no excuse for being
misled concerning what to expect from him. He
cannot capture Villa and seems even afraid to try;
and when Villa and his brigands commit crimes
on our SOIL we find Carranza Immediately placing
obstacles in the way of his capture by United
States forces, demanding the privileges for
his troops as he gives to those of country whose
citizens have been murdered, outraged and robbed
by Mexicans both sides of the border and
issuing bombastic manifestos plainly conveying
the threat to give battle to the American forces.
Surely it must lie in Carranzas power to do much
to convince his people of the friendly and legiti-
mate purpose of the American expedition, but in
stead he adopts naughty and arrogant pose that
have no other effect than to arouse resent
ment and hostility to the "gringocs" to whom he
dent.
Carranza has practically served notice on the
United States that when its troops cross the
border in pursuit Of the bloodthirsty monster
who is his master and who has stained terri
tory with his crimes, they are likely to walk into
war If we to have with Mexico we
shall require almost Immediately according to
lowest estimates, 10000 soldiers for the invasion
and TO protect the border. That is the situation
which confronts the handful Of American soldiers
who about to cross into Mexico in obedience
to the Presidents orders and that is the situation
which the advocate of water-power bill in the
Senate can calmly confront, and, pleading for the
consideration Of his measure, that the coun-
try is well prepared"
II, few months hence, the soldiers we arc
about to send against Villa, and perhaps against
Zapata and Diaz and Oregon and all the rest OF
them, cut and shot to pieces, their lives can
be charged to Congress, unless Congress puts
aside its waterpower bills and its pork bills long
enough to provide the President with all the att
thority he needs and all the money he can spend
in the immediate preparation of men and NUM-
tons and field equipment, and to look ahead to
the steps that will be necessary to equip and sup
port army of volunteers to re-enforce the regi-
mentS that may soon be in battle against odds
Can it be that Congress will devote its time to
the discussion of water-power bills before it has
done its solemn duty to the whole nation and its
soldiers in the field on foreign soil?
We hear talk that intervention in Mexico will
be a large task" We have undertaken and ac-
complished larger tasks when we were a smaller
nation and when there was less shrinking from
them. At any rate, and whatever its size, we
have undertaken this one and we shall have to
perform it. The soldiers arc on their way to do
their duty. Let there be no Sinking in Con-
gress.