The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-26
THE MESS IN MEXICO"
10 Bfl IN the Middle West,
who wants Information.

DEAR BILL: nave your letter
saying that YOU ana your neighbors
are much disturbed over the existing
Mexican situation and asking II I
IAN throw any real light on IL. This
IL not n cause for wonder. for here
In Washington as we'll az in Boston.
New York. PHILADELPHIA. &C, much I'M
certainty IL seen among men in all
walks Of life. Therefore Il is natu-
raj that there should be anxiety
among those like Yourself who live
on farms or in small towns in the
Interior OF the n
Let me saw at once that war with
Mexico NAV be decided any moment
one way or the other by any Of a
hundred possible DEVELOPMENTS. In
! fact actual hostilities or A resumption
of .~peaceful" relations may occur be-
fore thls letter reaches YOU. At the
moment OF writing. however. war has
not been declared.
Won ask whether the country as
reen from Washington Ia supporting
the President. And I can reply with
out h~esitation that IN this crisis the
| country certainly IL supporting the
President. but that az a whole the
Country CeTtAlnlH IL nOt uDIoT I'LL
Woodrow Wilson. This distinction
Won will do well 10 keen In mind.
In other words. when American cit
,zens and American troopers are being
wsntonIv KILLED either by Mexican
| bandits or BY soldiers or others at
tachcd To the Dc facto Government OF
Mexico the whole United states Is
standing alongside the President.
| shoulder 10 shoulder. The only ex-
ceptIon. are a few publicity seeking
freaks both men and women who are
p~roperiy regarded az irresponsible
children. and TO whom no serious at
ten,ion Ia paid.
Won ask for a frank abatement Of
the situation a. I see II here. I will
endeavor to give IL, without preju-
dice. without fear of being m%,sunder-
stood. Mexico is an enormous coun-
,ry. Part Of #, is civilized. but a large
mart consist. Of mountains. pa..e. al
mos, inaccessible high plateaus. tun-
,,.. WITH means ~ communication
ex,rcue,v diNBcult and with roads
,ack,rp Tho ponulation NAV only
no euesses s,-rourhi, estimated-for
4, has been impossib,e to obtain an ac-
curats counting at regular intervals
OF tho millions upon millions Of saw
age and semi-sayaRe Indians. II wal
4, declared and the Indians ,oin, as
they probably would. yesr. may ensue
n efore law and order are restored and
peace contaminated. Just now some
p~evspapcr. and some mon In public
NE who ought 10 know better seem
70 think that 10000 regular troops
and 100. 900 National Guardsmen could
clean IN Mexico in a few months
In nv opinion this is an insane propo-
s!tion. II We undertake 10 clean up
Mexico" put down anarchy. restore
processes Of law and maintain order
until the Mexican people can con
t!nue a government OF their own
whereby law. order and safety for for
Gig residents will he a permanent
fact-if we undertake this big JOB. ]
repeat. II nay mean that We Will be In
for a war lasting years. a war IN
which 500 900 or more seasoned troops
VIII be needed before the Job Is
finally accomplished.
What will suCh an undertaking cost
Nobody can tell how many hundreds
q. millions in money. And God alone
knows the multitude Of young .Ameri'
can lives which would he sacrificed ir
the colossal task. Is the effort worth
solutely sure. II Mexico forces US t1
act we will go in. with set teeth, ant
'inish the Job regardless OF cost in He