New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-28
The Mexican Mess.

The Mexican Mess.
There are not a score of Americans
in the whole country who want war with
Mexico. There is not one material in
terest involved which would be worth the
sacrifice of the lives Of any of the soldiers
who are marching away from US now.
The hopelessness Of the present stu
alton lies in the fact that there can be
no escape from war if the Mexicans con
tinue TO kill American soldiers or pursue
the policy that Mexicans, officials and cit
liens, have pursued for so many months
But such a war as now seems inevitable
is nothing more than a sanitary opera
ton. Such a cesspool as Mexico cannot
. continue an undated nuisance at our
gates indefinitely. Not to conquer Mex
leo, not TO add provinces, not to acquire
glory, shall we make war-of sort-if
we have TO.
Everything now lies in Mr.. Wilson's
hands. His has been the power and the
responsibility for more than three years.
There is a time to come-and it is at
hand-when every act and every failure
to act will be subjected TO the closest
scrutiny and the severest criticism.
Mr.. Wilson will have 10 stand or fall
by the Mexican policy. He will be judged
rs he has prepared or failed to prepare
his country for the emergency that has
been so long coming. He will be indicted
or extoled as his present and past course
is adjudged to have been wise or foolish,
patriotic or partisan, farsighted or sheerly
opportunistic.
There will be no election won by any
recourse to war. No weakness in the
past will be forgiven because Of proper
or excessive zeal now. The country is
silent on the present crisis. 1t feels that
it must let its government and its Presi-
dent deal with the crisis unhampered by
Gripping criticism.
But the silence is not license. 1t is
not pardon. 1t is not a perpetual sur
render of the freedom to criticise and TO
censure. Mr.. Wilson and his advisers
will make a mistake if they so interpret
it or act upon such an Interpretation.
If Mr.. Wilson decides for war he will
have to explain his decision, he will have
to justify each step that lies between
Vera Cruz and Carrizal. But while he
faces the decision in this hour his coun-
trymen will necessarily wait anxiously,
but silently The power and the respoh-
sibility are his. the blame or the praise
will be apportioned hereafter.
There never was in our history any
thing more hateful than this Mexican
mess 1t may have been unavoidable. there
may never have been any solution save
through Intervention. All this will have
to be explained to US and satisfactorily
explained a little later.
We are sending our young men 70 the
border, and perhaps beyond the border.
We are sending them TO danger and per
haps to death. They 90 willingly, bravely.
We have offered them not easily, but with
out question. But since they are dear to
us, since they mean our lives we shall ask
utltdlbti 10 hllNN tllt exact ItthOilNR Ne
tween Mr. Wilson and ourselves in the
matter Of our volunteers
And when that reckoning is at last made
up, it would be better for Mr.. Wilson that
\ he had never occupied public office or held
place of honor than that he should have
failed in the smallest degree in his re-
sponsibiity TO us and to those we love-
There are no cheers for war, there is no
heart in all this preparation. The country
looks upon it bewildered and incredulous,
consenting yet demanding with ever grow
ing insistence the reasons. 1t may have
been inescapable, it may have been inevi-
table; but only this can avail to save Mr..
Wilson or avert that destruction of his
administration which will come swiftly
and surely with the slightest evidence that
what has happened could have been
avoided.