Gilpin observer., 1916-05-04
MEXICAN POLICY WORKING OUT


In order to form anything like an
adequate conception Of the extent to
which talsehood has been invented
and propagated along the Mexican
border within the last few weeks 1t
is necessary to go back to the Colum
bus raid. There is hardly doubt
now that this desperate adventure
ON the part Of the bandit villa was
instigated by those desirous Of In
volving the United States govern.
ment in complications with the Mex.
lean people. It was intended to
prove, in the first place, that Car
rama was without real control Of
the situation. and to precipitate In
tervention. Intervention, 1T was
hoped, would rally all the discomfort
In Mexico to Villas side. The tacit
arrangement between the Washing
ton and the de facto Mexican gcv
ernments, under which punitive ex-
pedition crossed Il Q line with assur-
ances that 1t had but one mission.
and that friendly. upset the calcula-
tions OF the consriia ors.
Then inventors and propagstcrs of
false rumors and bogus news took on
an activity, following tine decision
to dispatch an expedition, that a
protest and an appeal from the White
House were unable to check. The ex-
peditiop would be. met by an over.
whelming force and destroyed or
turned back. Net less than 100000
men should enter Mexico; this would
mean Intervention, but Intervention
could not be. avoided. Reports from
various parts of Mexico showed that
the country was arming against the
United States. Slippers were firing
on American troors.
Carranza was threatening Washing
ton, and Washington was threaten
ing Carranza. Ca: ranztstas would Op-
pose the punitive expedition. Car
ranzistas were concentrating in large
nnmbers to oppose the American ex-
pedition. Carrapaa troops were des-
erting and joining Villa. Some of
Carranza's primo psi l'eutenants were
getting ready for oren revolt against
the de facto COVE, nment. The ru-
mormongers became bolder and gave
the name of General Herrera. He
was known" to have gone over to
Villa with his entire command. There
was no question about it. This meant
that the United States must inter
vene. The president was "consdd-
ering the advisabili'y" Of calling Cor
100000 men. Carranza himself had
about decided to 10 n Villa in opposi-
ton to the United States. He was
expected to send President Wilson
an ultimatum at any minute which
would mean withdrawal or war.
Then Colonel Cano and his regi-
ment went over to villa. He was
suspected or double-deaNng from the
first. In q skirmi. h he had lent aid
to the Villistas. Other commanding
officers would folk his example at
once. The Mexican people, Villistas
and Carranzistas alike. were intrench-
ing and would resist the American
troops inch by inch. Everybody"
along the border felt that war with
Mexico was unavoi liable.
ALI tfis would have been humorous
had it not been deliberately design
ed to bring calamity upon the two
republics. The motives underlying
the attempt to excite popular thought
on both sides of the line cannot be
dealt with at this time, but there is
little question as to one point: those
at the head and front of the cam
paign of salsehood We're bent, If pos
sible, upon getting the United States
involved in se,iors complications with
Mexico at time when it was mcst
mer should be entirely free.
The conspiracy has thus far fail
ed utterly. hut it will not do to as
sumo that the conspiratoIs have
abandoned all hore. There is moth
ing yet to shcw that the Wilson
Mexican policy is rot working out
successfully. We do rot think 1t pos
sible to give be- r advice to cur
readers under this heading than that
they should mistrust any reports to
the contrary. no matter how plausibly
they may be pre- ented.- Christian
Science Monitor.
of the National Co He is n former