The sun., 1916-09-05
MEXICO AS A FACTOR IN THE De.
FENCE OF THE AMERICAS.
A Proposal to Make the Gulf and the Caribbean Mare Clausun.

Key West around the Gulf OF Mexico
past Yucatan to the Panama Canal
and thence along the north coast "a
South America TO the Lesser Antillss
None Of the countries bordering thes.
Central American waters except tina
United States would be financially abba
to install such defensive works, and
Of what avail would be a line of such
Notifications extending from Key IVES,
to the mouth OF the Rio Grande Ners
the coasts Of Mexico and the thousand
miles Of international frontier between
the United States and Mexico left omen
to an enemy7
It II as unthinkable to fortlfy ina
Mexican frontier as it has long bee,
TO fortify the Canadian frontier. !,
Is much more. Infinitely more, rea.
sonable to reach an accord with Me,.
leo for the mutual work Of rendering
impregnable the entire continental
coast lines of the W countries. and
then successfully effect treaties for
the continuation Of the work on both
shores to the Tsthmus of Panama.
The work on the eastern coa..
would be greatly modified by extend.
ing the territorial waters of the twin
continents from a point on tho cas-.
coast Of Florida around all n.
Greater and Lesser Antilles To a poin,
three miles from the South American
continent beyond the last island q.
the Lesser Antilles. II seems quite
within reason that all the Powers nor.
dering ON such almost closed inland
G should have the owe Ia Limit
the use of their waters to tina, %,
peaceful passage and for mutual safety
close them to the entry of potential or
actual enemies.
The peoples of North Amer CA and
South America can never he sa,s
against aggressive invasion with that
great interior q line undefended
and the natural defence line is along the
outer fringe of island shores ana the
passages between them. Those gro,,
central waters constitute the hey 10
the possession and peaceful cnjuymon,
of both halves OF the western cont.
ncnt. And that eastern island shore
line IL the natural strategic defence
line for every sovereign Power on TINS
hemisphere. We cannot think of A
war with England at any period o.
our future history. for that would mean
also the a~ntagonism Of eight millions
Of u Canadian friends. who are
among those peoples who hold Their
treaties sacred beyond our powers o..
expression. Nor can We contemplate
without adherence a WAL with France.
for whom we have a special affection
as the mother Of the American Con.
stitution and perforce OF those ~ ali
the other American republics. Equal,
ahhorrent is the thought OF war with
the Mexican people. so long nov
almost wholly without interest in the
: lands Of their own country.
Yet We are only one hundred nil.
ions, one-fiftecnth Of the population Of
the world. with a labyrinth of ,nys.
FERROUS potcntialities in the hoso,r ~
the future. and IL Mould hc Grass
stupidity to give a sole and absolute
confidence to our W goodness and
probity Of intention as security
against aggression. We must have
force in readiness with which 10 en-.
counter the international burglar. for
he kno IS no law but that ~ force.
Surely we should win the good opir
! ion and friendly consideration Of every
people in every land. but We must ais
: prepare for the burglar ami tie
, maniac. whether personal or interra.
+ ti"nal. No man may ~foretcll when h"
l shall. appear Blu IN the light Of Ms.
tory his recurrence AT unexpected mo.
I ments cannot DO denied. The watct
, man on the wall may sec in tho faf
. distance the dust Of his approach. M
r the incredulous multitude will always
= scofr as they did at Noah. as they do
r II England before August. 1914, and
p ~ they have on countless other -.
: t,sions recorded by impartial history
p and the net result to the careless mIl'.
tudeI IL that the storm breaks IN.
= eNpectedly" upon a people thus fore.
= doomed To destruction because tae,
: believed 'it wasn't going to he mucr
: Of n shower anyway"
n GEORGE w. DITUrlnGr