Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-19
GUARD
IS ORDERED OUT

T1HE American expeditionary force
4 has been in grave peril for weeks
Against 1t Carranza has been concentrat
ing, at strategic points, his veteran
troops, They are far superior in num-
ber to the American command and not
vitality inferior to 1t in arms and equip
ment. American ammunition and Amer.
lean guns have been pouring into Mexico
ever since President Wilson recalled the
Taft embargo. General Funston has re.
peatedly called for more troops. Only two
or three weeks ago Secretary Baker
stated that it did not matter what Fun
ston asked for; that it was what he gave
| him that counted. And apparently he
had nothing to give. Virtually the en-
tire available army is already in Mexico
or along the border. There has been no
reserve at hand.
No military force in a generation. under
similar conditions, has been placed in so
hazardous a position by a great Govern.
ment as that which Pershing's column
has occupied. Miles within a hostile
country. with long lines of communica-
ton to be safeguarded veteran enemy
forces being stationed, without protest
from this Government, wherever Car
rama wished to place them, the expedi-
tionary force has had little more than
a fighting chance. Too much has been
expected of it. Indeed, the recklessness
of the Administration in exposing 1t to
such peril has been unparalleled.
But we have no army reserve. AL
though the drumming Of the guns has
been laundering across the Atlantic for
almost two, years, our army is as weak
as 1t was before chaos began In Europe
We are at last brought to the humiliating
point where at the challenge of fourth
rate nation, a nation enfeebed by revolu
tions and now scarcely more than name
have no regular military establishment |
capable of handling the situation.
In the dilemma nothing has remained |
but to order out the National Guard. So |
at least we can provide some sort of re-
serve force which can be used If the posi-
ton of General Pershing becomes acutely
critical, or If an actual armed invasion
of our territory is attempted. We have
no doubt that the National Guard will |
give good account of itself. But If war
comes and the boys from our shops and
industries are sent, in their half-trained
condition, against veteran soldiers in the
Mexican hills, what answer will Congress
men make to mothers who shout that
pork barrel" metamorphosed into gi-
gantic coffin Is not a pleasing sight, yet
it is metamorphosis which Congress
has invited and for which 1t would be
directly and insxcusably responsible.
That the fruits of Bryan diplomacy
were about ripe has been apparent for
a long time. The truculent bandit who
goes by the name of the First Chief has
our diplomatic weakness. He
has actually considered waging war upon
us, being convinced that pacifism has
melted our spine and corrupted our reso-
luton. But at last. abandoning vacilla-
ton, the Administration orders the con-
of 100000 or more militia along
the Mexican border. That is the only
kind of message OF ultimatum a Mexican
Of the Carranza type can understand.
That he will understand 1t all Americans
hope If he does not, the sooner
an energetic and comprehensive cam
paign to clean up Mexico is begun the
better 1t will be.
It is source OF great satisfaction that
Pennsylvania, which has believed stead
lastly in protection both of our indus.
tries and OF our honor. is able TO provide
A quota of militia at least the equal in
training and capacity of any of the State
divisions which viii go to the front.
"