The Washington herald., 1916-06-19
The Call to Arms,

.
The United States is making ready for war
with Mexico at last. The calling out of the
militia of the States means that we are to have
army the border prepared to resist in
vasion or to invade. It will take weeks to ht
and equip the citizen soldiers for fighting
campaign, but the country should rejoice that
beginning has been made; first because if we
find it necessary to make war our forces will not
have to fight for long against superior NUM-
bers, and second because of the possibility that
the call to the colors may avert war If Car
rama wants war he knows that we are not
too proud to fight, and that his soldiers will have
to meet brave and numerous and superior foe.
If he has been merely bluffing taking advantage
of forbearance and unpreparedness, he
realizes now that he has failed utterly in his
purpose. The United States is preparing to en-
force its determination to keep its troops in
Mexico until the de facto government gives
proof OF its willingness and ability to safeguard
the lives and property of foreigners in Mexico
and of Americans on the border line. Carranza
must now give earnest consideration to the
situation and determine whether to permit our
army to occupy Mexican territory for the pur-
pose of preserving peace and order or force
war by giving it battle.
There will be no misunderstanding in this
country or in Mexico of the purpose for which
the State militia is sent to the border 1t
was merely for possible effect, of course, that
the Secretary of War announced that the call
ing out OF substantially all the State militia
is wholly unrelated to Gen. Pershings ex-
pedition and contemplates no additional entry
into Mexico except may be necessary to
pursue bandits who attempt outrages on Amer
lean soil" It is related to Gen. Pershing's expe-
dition in this respect: If there had been no
Pershing expedition the militia would not even
have been sent to the border; and furthermore, if
Carranza is in earnest in his threat to make war,
a great many more troops must be sent into
Mexico, probably more than our entire regular
army muster at present. The militia not
only will be used to guard the border, but will
be sent into Mexico if necessary to defeat the
united armies Of Mexico. That is why sub
stantially all State militia" is to be modified.
Should come it cannot be conjectured
where or when it will end. There will be no
doubt of the outcome, however, and with an army
properly equipped and large enough the conflict
would be OF short duration; under present condi-
tons it will take time for the conquest for con-
quest it must be if Carranza DEGREES it. He has
QeuVereQ MS ultlInatuIn the terms Delng that all
United States troops must be withdrawn from
Mexico within days. The mobilization OF
the militia Is the answer.
That the people of all the States may know
the causes which sent their sons to war and the
full purpose of the nation in Mexico it is to be
expected that the President will communicate
with Congress, he did at the time of the
Vera Cruz expedition, though omitting that for
mality at the time Gen. Pershng's expedition
was started. But whatever the cause of the war,
which seems inevitable, or however it may have
been brought about the national duty now is to
support the government. The wave Of patriotism
that has swept the country, evidenced in pre-
paredness parades, should mean that there will
be no hanging back. Every milltiaman owes it
to his country to hasten to his regiment. Full
ranks of eager Americans must show the enemy
that the wrongs he has inflicted and his insolent
disregard of Our rights have at last aroused a
patient people to determination to uphold their
country's traditions.