New-York tribune., 1916-07-03
Mexico.


has expressed a strong desire 70 deal
generously with Mexico. We believe that
he reflects the sentiment Of the country
when he says that the United States does
not wish to engage in war Of Spoliation
"Do YOU think" he asked on Friday night,
that the glory Of America would be en-
HANGED by a war Of conquest in Mexico?
Do YOU think that any act Of violence by
a powerful nation like this against a
weak and distracted neighbor would re-
feet distinction upon the annals OF the
United Statcs?"
In 1876 our government welcomed. II It
did not deliberately seek, an opportunity
to enlarge its territorial holdings at Mex
ico's expense. No such sinister policy
could find popular support to-day. We
are on the brink Of war with Mexico, but
not because we have fomented a quarrel
in order TO despoil her. 1t Is the tragedy
Of the present situation that most Ameri-
cans do not believe at all in its inevlta-
bilitv. They do not see any logical neces-
sitv for war. On the contrary, they are
convinced that if war comes 1t will have
come through misunderstanding and er'
rors Of diplomacy which could and snouiH
have been avoided
We cannot find in Mr.. Wilson's latest
speecles-any more than in his carrier
ones-that clear appreciation Of our prob
lem in Mexico which might have led to
peaceful attainment Of the purposes which
the country has in view. Why did we
seize Vera Cruz two years ago? Not
merely because Of a technical indignity 70
q man-of-war's boat crew at Tampico.
Not simply to obtain an apologetic salute
70 the American flag, which was, IN fact
never conceded.
Why have our troops been occupying
Mexican territory two hundred and 'hree
hundred miles to the south Of the boundary
line9 Not solely because Of the attack by
Villas bandits on Columbus, \. NJ. II
we had lived strictly up TO the standards
of chivalrous conduct on the part Of
powerful nation toward weak and dis
tracted neighbor which Mr.. Wilson now
attributes to our government we should
certainly have refrained from invading
Mexico and should have settled these two
grievances by diplomatic methods.
But the Tampico and Columbus incl
dents were merely symptoms. They we're
acute manifestations Of contempt for
American authority. They were last
straws after scores of other affronts, after
countless exhibitions of disregard for the
rights Of American citizens domiciled IN
Mexico and countless challenges OF the
role which the United States has assumed
under the Monroe Doctrine as the pro-
tector of European subjects IN Latn-
American countries in which we have
abridged the right Of intervention by -hen
own governments.
Our real problem in Mexico from tho
dav on which Madero was deposed has
been to secure protection, as far as posi-
ble for American lives and property and
for the lives and property of European
subjects toward whom we have assumed a
certain relation of guardianship. II was
o,,r duty TO work for the maintenance OF
order and competent government. In the
recent note to the Carranza governmen
the Wilson Administration has stated foi
the first and only time the basic principe
of any rational American policy In Mex
leo. Here it is-one lucent ray Of states
manship penetrating a three years fog OF
rhetoric: protection of American lives
and property, then, in the United States Is
the first obligation of this governmen- an.
in Mexico is. first the obligation of Mex
leo. and. second, the obligation Of h'
United Statcs.'
What was needed from the beginning
was a constructive policy in Mexico
policy Of helpfulness to the elements there
which promised most in the way Of Sc
curing order and stamping out anarchy
But how did we fulfil our task? Oui
government boycotted Huerta and finally
ousted him; it failed to support Gutierrez
the choice Of the ConstitutiOnalist conven
tion; as between Carranza and VITA
favored the unspeakable Villa; after Car
rama triumphed it tried unsuccessfully Il
eliminate him and then turned around anC
recognized him Internationally.
Constructive American diplomacy neve
had a chance in Mexico. Our diplomacy
was purely destructive So after thre'
years of obstruction on our part Mexic'
is in a condition of anarchy, its wealth i
wasrd. its recuperative power is near tn
point of exhaustion.
Most Americans shrink from the idea o
engaging in war with our exhausted, pov
erty-strcken neighbor. Yet our own ute
diplomatic failure may have put 1t out o.
our rover to avoid war. War with Mex
leo under present conditions would be
war without glory, as Mr.. Wilson says
II would be in large measure a penanc'
for the sins Of omission of which we have
been, guilty against Mexico, as well as fo