Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-22

nlShed by himself. Immediately al
forwards occurred the treacherous
murder OF our troops at Carrizal.
Then Mr.. Wilson became frightened,
bowed in abject submission to Car
rama, kissed the hand that was red
with the blood OF American men and
women, and, inasmuch as he dared
not hold Carranza responsible, began
in unmanly fashion to scold Carran-
za's wretched victims.
"Mr. Wilson says he has kept us
out of war; The democratic platform
says that the Mexicans have made
war Upon and murdered our people,
For once the democratic platform
told the truth. Mr.. Wilson says that
some of the murdered men were bar
barously r1utilated. In the press one
such case of mutilation is described.
Two troopers of the Twelfth United
State cavalry, Henry Stubblefield and
Richard Johnson, one from Virginia
and one from New York, were killed
by Carranza's troops at Progreso,
Tex, September %, 1915. Stubble-
fields body was found soon after the
fight. Johnson was reported missing,
but Mexican prisoners informed our
officers that Johnson had been tor
tured and beheaded, his body thrown
into the Rio Grande and his head
and ears cut off aid displayed to the
populace OF the Mexican town of
Conception as evidence that Ameri-
can troops had been routed. This was
not an exceptional instance; it was
typical of what has gone on un-
checked in Mexico,
Mr.. Wilson and his followers are
fond Of asking, when we criticize his
action, What would you have done''
Either one OF two courses could
properly have been followed. 1t would
have been defensible to have recog-
nized Huerta, in view of the fact that
other great powers had recognized
him; and, of course, it was quite inde-
feasible to refuse to recognize him.
and yet recognize Benavides in Peru
and Carranza in Mexico. In such
event we would have held Huerta to
strict responsibility by acts, for re.
storing order in Mexico and for pro.
tecting American life and property.
What Mexico Means to Us.
1T cannot be matter of indiffer.
ence to us what kind Of government
arises in Mexico. Mexico in its geo
graphical and physical aspects, with
the Panama canal adjoining, repre-
sents to the United States what thu
Balkans and Asia Miner represent &c
Europe. There the Dardanelles ane
the Suez canal are the prize, valuable
as the Panama canal is valuable te
us, as source of profit and nationa
power. After decade OF internal war
fare and struggle in the Balkans, thu
present world war resulted. If W,
let Mexico sink into permanent an
archy, and show ourselves too feeble
to restore order, then, sooner or later
some old-world military power viii
itself step in and take possession, with
results as disastrous to US as tn,
anarchy in the Balkan peninsula ha.
been disastrous to Europe. Mexico
like Asia Minor, is mountainous pen
Ursula. II dominates the Caribbean
and has immediate access to both end!
of the Panama canal. The, govern
ment in Mexico must necessarily in
teract with and upon the government:
and population of the northern hall
of the South American continent
A strong and stable government II
Mexico, working in harmonious rela
tions with the United States, could es
tablish security for property and max,
il possible for American enterprise Il
caffy.rAilfoads, irrigation works ant
other benefits OF civilization into tina
territory. The development of tn.
Mexican railroad net would enable TIKI
United States. in case the need evel
arose, to help ward off aggression b,
foreign power. A railroad extend
ing to the Panama canal would Civ,
us access by land to the canal, will
which the future OF the United State!
Is so intimately bound up. Such ;
Mexican government, representing
the best forces Of that country
would be eager to work with us b,
the free exchange OF what they hav,
to give in return for the advantages
Of what we can offer them. Such ;
government would be Of incalculabl
benefit to Mexico itself, and woult
also add greatly to the security o
the United States. A weak, disor
ganized Mexican government, as
willing or unwilling ally of foreigl
power, hostile to our country, nigh
do US irreparable damage.
Wilson Policy Without Plan.
at will take foresight, intelligenc,
and self-sacrifice on the part OF on
statesmen and our people to solv'
these problems in the right way nov
so as to ward off danger in the future
President Wilson's policies nave beef
without plan or purpose; he has no
looked beyond tomorrow; he has ha,
no objects aside from momentar,
political profit at home, and possibl.
the qualification of personal spit
towards or personal favoritism for
some particular bandit, His attitude
has shifted hither and thither. AT al
enormous expense to all that is goot
and stable in Mexico and at terrible
cost OF American lives, property an,
prestige he has lifted Carranza int,
power. Through the maneuvering o
an Abe convention he placed hin
upon his shaky pedestal and today b.
the expedient of another lou con
vention he is trying to prop and Dol
ster the tottering structure. Yet a
this very time, Carranza's govern
ment, which is wholly the child o
President Wilson's diplomacy, turn
against US, and thereby foreshadow
the course that this same man Car
rama would take if, by the aid OF sucl
loans, as it has been vaguely hi1te,
that the present administration is try
ing to secure for him in financia
circles, his government would becom
strong. This is shown in the New