New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-25
MIR. Wilson's Wars: w

Mr.. WILSON'S nrSI war OH MeAiOo
April 81, 1914 November %,
1910 had for its purpose the eliml-
nation of Huerta. That purpose was
accomplished. But neither Mexico
nor the United States was benefited
in the least by Huerta's fall.
Huerta, whatever his faults, had
protected the lives and property of
Americans and of European ma
tionals in the territory which he con-
trolled. The Constitutionalist chief
tains who competed for his place
Carranza, Villa and Zapata-took
little interest in preventing the muir
der of Americans and other foreign
ers and the spoliation of foreign
property. Huerta maintained SEM
blance of order. But Mexico has now
drifted so far toward anarchy that
no organized power any longer exists
capable of restraining the democrat
lied, undisciplined bands into which
the original Constitutional armies
have dissolved.
1t did not take Mr.. Wilson very
long to discover that the expulsion of
Huerta had in no way solved the
Mexican problem. He and Mr.. Bryan
and Mr.. Lind had pinned their hopes
on Villa as the agent through whom
humanity was to be served and Mex
ico's house was again to be put IN
order. 1t was a fantastic choice,
since Villa had never risen In char
acter beyond the status of success
full cutthroat. Yet the Administra-
ton backed Villa against Carranza
when the inevitable split came in the
Constitutionalist ranks. 1t scolded
and threatened Carranza, who re-
fused absolutely to take orders from
Washington, and aided and coddled
his most dangerous rival.
Villa had the prestige of military
success in the Torreon and Zacatecas
campaigns of 1914 against Huerta's
forces. The Administration thought
that he could defeat Carranza, who
was no soldier. But Carranza had
found better commander than Villa
in General Obregon, and the latter's
competency, exhibited in the battles
about Celaya and in the campaign
against Aguas Calientes and Tor
reon, pricked the Villa bubble. Villa
was finally driven out of Chihuahua
City and into his old haunts in the
Chihuahua mountains. The Admin
istration finally abandoned him and
permitted Obregon to send troops
across United States territory to at
tack Villa garrison at Aqua Prieta.
1t was this favor to the Carranza
government which led directly to
Mr.. Wilson's second war on Mexico,
for it infamed Villas wrath and
spurred him to take revenge by max
ing spectacular night raid on the
town of Columbus, N. NJ, and on the
camp Of United States cavalry de-
tachment near by.
Mr.. Wilson moved against Mexico
only after Americans, soldiers as
well as civilians, had been murdered
on American soil. There had been
long succession of murders Of Ameri-
cans in Mexico under the Carranza
regime. But the President steadily
refused TO intervene to protect our
citizens. He had said repeatedly that
Mexicans ought TO have a free hand
in determining their own form of
government" and that so long as he
was President no Intervention, even
TO maintain American rights, would
be tolerated.
In letter to the Mexican Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs, dated June
20, Mr.. Lansing presented this in
dictment against the Carranza re-
gime:
"For three years the Mexican
Republic has been torn with
civil war; the lives Of Americans
and other aliens have been sacri-
feed; vast properties developed
by American capital have been
destroyed or rendered non-pro-
ductive; bandits have been per-
mitted TO roam at will over terri
tory contiguous 10 the United
States and 70 seize, without pun
ishment or effective attempt at
punishment the property of
Americans, while the lives Of cit
liens Of the United States who
ventured 10 remain in Mexican
territory or 20 return there 10
protect their interests have been
taken, in some cases barbarously
taken, and the murderers have
neither been apprehended nor
brought 10 justice"
This indictment was an after
thought. The Administration had
never been moved by these repeated
out ys1eG-even bv the hideoue mas