The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-04-17
down the condition upon which the
United States could operate.

oh1o, WIZ CduuOL CONTROL Mex
leo. found that he could control the
United States. Now he demands that
the government at Washington call
Its soldiers out of Mexico. It has been
as plain as day that he would do thia
He has been experimenting with his
control. He found It perfect. 1t Is
the habit Of whlskered Latin souls to
satisfy their temperament. Carranza
does not dare talk loudly to Mexico
City. He does not dare 60 near It.
But he does talk loudly to Washing.
ton. and President Wilson will be in
luck II he does not see these Latin
whiskers filling the entrance to the
executive office and q second later
find Carranza In front of him pound
ing the desk.
What an ignominious surrender of
dignity and purpose and efficiency II
all is! Our government invaded Mex
ico, put wanted 1t clearly understood
that 1t was only little bit of an in
vasion. not enough to hurt any Mexi-
cans pride and not enough to do
what II was intended to do.
Floyd Gibbons. who is with the SOL
diers. has described what has hap
pened to them. Captain Reilly, who
Is a soldier. has made 1t plain what
the fears Of military men are for the
expedition.
The men cannot go ahead rapidly
enough to catch Villa because their
supplies cannot keep up with them.
They are Twink off the country as
best they can. They wish to get salt.
bareback. and coffee. They are llv.
Ing on diet which is likely to sicken
every officer and man. With hard
riding and marching they have worn
out their clothes. They are deep
down in Mexico and poorly pro-
tected line OF communication runs
hack to their base OF supplies. Car
rama Is bullying Washington. He
may cut the line.
Was all this necessary? Was 1t
necessary to undertake a military op-
Grafton in the precise fashion calcu-
lated to make the achievement Of
purpose most difficult? 1t was, IL the
accepted American theory be to try
to do thing without doing it.
American troops rode and marched
when they might have used railroads.
rheir supplies reach them by truck
when they might go on railroads.
Their movements might be speeded
up II they could use the Mexican
transportation equipment. They
might have Villa now IL they had
been able to use every available
means OF cathing him. They certainly
would be In good instead of bad
shape II their supplies had been for
warded to them by the best and not
the worst way.
Why undertake thing at all n 1t
is to be undertaken in this fashion?
We think We know enough about the
whiskered Latin soul called Carranza
to know that when he discovered the
! strangely resolute intent Of the Unit
ed States to catch Villa and put an
end to Mexican outlawry he was
frightened. Then he discovered that
he had no cause to be. He made
t:mid venture In the direction of self
assertion and found 1t effective. II
he had been told to stand aside there
would have been nothing further
heard Of him.
Carranza naturally enjoys DON'T
neering over the United States. This
is David and Goliath, and being David
is the supreme sensation in human
life. Our Mexican David grew large
in boldness. He hindered the mill
tary movements with such success he
feels confident enough to ask that
the American soldiers withdraw.
Even now our government could
end this and put an end to its en-
barrassments and its humiliation.
Carranza, as we have said, is our own
creature. His only power Is the
power given to him by the fact that
the United States recognized him as
the head Of the de facto government
| in Mexico.
The creature can be made to ac-
cept the advice of its creator. II Car
rama were told that the only chance
he had to continue In possession OF
nominal control in Mexico was to sub
nit without further expenditure OF
rhetoric. to the necessities Of the
American troops. occupied in trying
to do something that he cannot do,
he either would submit or we should
have the whole question Of Mexico
presented in logical form.
Mr.. Wilson seems to be trying to
do the dog kindness by cutting its
tail of by inches. He Is dealing very
kindly with Mexican dignity by deal
Ing unkindly with American flesh and
blood. He Is considerate Of the Latin
soul. but inconsiderate OF the Ameri-
can body. This may satisfy a pas
sion for humanity. but II the idea con.
tinues to govern in American admin
istration rabbit will not have to
get full Of gin to be bold enough to
slap the American eagle in the beak.
A little more Of this policy and a
Chinaman will have proper con-
tempt for an American.