The Washington herald., 1916-06-26
Already at War with Mexico.

Whether it is admitted denied by govern
ment or individual the exact truth is that the
United States and Mexico already at war.
when the first shot was fired at Carrizal. The
de facto government OF Mexico through Cen.
Trevino, warned the United States government
that the movement of its forces in Mexico in
any direction but to the north would be inter
preted as an act of war and would be resisted
by armed force. The warning was disregarded,
the United States committed the act of war and
the first battle of the war was fought at Car
rizal Which side fired the first shot makes
no difference; presumably. it was fired by the
Mexcans, though the Americans might as well
have fired it since they courted battle The
actions of Americans and Mexicans at Carrizal
were the actions of their respective governments,
by both of them acknowledged
The diplomatic course of the Washington
government, therefore, may be assumed to have
two objects-to gain time for preparation for
war that already exists and to give Carranza
opportunity to end the war by yielding the point
upon which he has made it. 1t is difficult to
attribute any other purpose to the so-called uti-
matum from Washington, demanding the re-
tease OF tne american CaValfyHen WHO HdNC
been made prisoners Nor is there the least
reason to expect action by Carranza that will
prevent further hostilities. The mere release
of the American prisoners could have such
effect, unless it were accompanied by agree
ment to permit the United States forces to move
at will in Mexico, complete surrender, in fact,
of the contentious upon which Carranza has
made war. What he is demanding is that the
United States troops be withdrawn from Mexico,
and this demand the Washington government
has refused to comply with Because of this
the two nations are at Release of its SOL
diers alone cannot satisfy the United States
unless the United States is to make the sur
render that will avert further hostilities, by
Withdrawing its army from Mexico. There is
little reason to believe that Carranza will re.
spond to ultmatum by releasing the prs-
oners, and even if he does the situation will
not be altered until he goes much further.
In this country expecting tidngs of
another battle at any moment. Setting the
cavalrymcn free will not and should not bring
us any false sense of security. Our ultmatum
at this time is not important as bearing upon
the situation between the two countries; its
real foundation is the contention that has
brought about war 1t belongs to the period
before the fight at Carrizal Not only have
VIC no reason to expect that Carranza will sur
render, but must know that the Mexican
forces in the field beyond Carranzas con-
troll No other conclusion is possible, there
fore, than that the two countries already are
at war, and that the one thing possible of
accomplishment by ultimatum is the gain
ing of time for preparation for operations
upon the large scale that will be necessary,
before the formal declaration of war.
Since it is war, why try to blind ourselves
to it? We must make war as we have in
the past, united and with all our energies and
resources. 1t may be long war; because we
are not prepared, but never was war more ju4
triumph more certain.