Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-14
Plight Of Refugees.

Congress appropriated 100000 last spring for
the relief OF American refugees from Mexico, but
the State department by its Interpretation of the
measure restricted payments from the fund to
bare cost of transportation and subsistence while
en- route. Through the regular channels border
consuls and immigration officials repeatedly d.
rected attention to the nadquacy OF this relief Six
weeks ago, after consultation with border officials
and thorough investigation OF the facts, spe-
cial report on the conditions was sent to Wash
ington and presented directly to President Wilson
through one OF the Texas senators. Its receipt
was acknowledged with an intimation that its
recommendations would be considered and pos
sibly adopted, II anything has actually been done
in the matter it has been given no publicity.
Under the system in force hundreds of fam
lilies, from grandfathers to babes in arms, arrived
at the border half clothed, famshed, debilitated
as a result OF their privatons and frequently
actually i'll, to find absolutely no provision made
for their repatriation Without the semblance of
investigation they were shipped almost at random
to points where they believed some distant kin or
former acquaintance might help them temporarily.
Penness and fit only for the hospital, they were
ncontinently shunted off on communities where
their reception was at best uncertain and their ap-
pearance frequently unwelcome. Some of them
became Immediately dependent on private charity,
and the stories OF some of the cases cited in the
report to the president. were heartrendering.
For the greater part these people are working
folks--clerks, mechanics and farmers--who went
into Mexico as pioneers Of that new and broader
Americansm advocated by Mr. Wilson, when
considering other Latin-American nations. They
were performing real service to this country
in opening up new fields Of enterprise, even
though their primary motive was their own adj
vantage. In their necessity they should have been
considered wards OF this government and treated
accordingly
In another way these refugees are entitled to
consideration. When attracted to Mexico by an
encouraged propaganda and the reports of our
consular agents some years ago they had every
reason in custom and precedent to expect the
protection by this government of their person
and property When this administration substi-
tuted for the old policy one Of perpetual postpone
ment and warned these people Unfortunately
to get out of Mexico 1t assumed direct re-
sponsibty II the new policy was endangered
by their presence in the republic where some
particularly atrocious attacks upon them might
force the issue, it was incumbent on this admins
rston to see that they were not returned to their
native soil under conditions more dangerous to
their welfare than those they left behind
With some plausibility the United States can
plead the general issue OF the right of nations to
control their own internal affairs; It may even ad-
vance Its peace theory as an excuse for not inter
ferng to protect Americans on foreign SOIL But
Il can offer neither reason nor excuse for its
abandonment Of American citizens upon our own
soil and within its peaceful and proper jurisdiction