Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-09

Sdils, VI lust piotSN'ioii, suNh PioeSS
ton as we are entitled to from a gov
eminent that performs the functions
of government. We could have said
we would not recognize Huerta il
his government did not discharge
those functions. We had no business
to recognize him unless the executive
was satisfied he could discharge those
functions. But il was another thing
to take an attitude quite apart from
the protection OF American rights and
wage war upon an individual and try
to take control of Mexican affairs
in the interest OF what we think they
should be.
Dealing With Huerta.
THAT was precisely what was done.
We did not content ourselves with
not recognizing Huerta. There is
no question about recognizing or not
recognizing Huerta. That was a mat
ter to be determined according to-
porper principles, according to the I'M
Outstanding of the executive as to
the capacity of that government If it
was a government. to furnish adequate
protection and discharge international
obligations. But orr administration
said to Huerta:
"You get out. You can't even be
candidate. We won't allow you to
run for office. We are so determined
to get rid of you that you can't put
yourself UP to be voted for. And i'm
mediately after recognition was with
drawn from Huerta it was extended
to that incompatible, that ideal char
acter, Villa.
"In my judgment the administration
did a very wrong thing in abandon
ing its proper international attitude
and taking the attitude that no inter-
national lawyer could understand
that no Mexican could understand
well, the Mexicans didn't under.
stand our attitude; there was fight:
nineteen Americans and large mum.
Der of Mexicans were killed, And
they, the administration say, they kept
us out of war That was war. and
very ignoble war.
Having gotten rid of Huerta, what
next did we do? We said let these
Mexicans spill as much blood as they
want to, that is their blessed privi-
lege.' So we coquetted with Villa, we
coquetted with Carranza, and we
showed our disposition to favor any
bandit in the land.
That Military Expedition.
II never heard of more extraor-
binary expedition than that punitive
expedition we sent down there. Was
it military expedition or was it not3
If it were not military expedition.
why send it? If a military expedition
why ignore all the essential requisites
OF a properly managed military ex-
pedition? 1t went down between two
lines of railroads; it could not use
either. Our American troops went
mile after mile for hundreds of miles
into Mexico on a punitive expedition
right between, two lines Of railway
which they could not touch. They
could not go to town. II was an
absurdly arranged expedition. OF
course it could not succeed. OF course
we got into trouble and more blood
was shed.
my friends, we have made people
dislike us because we did not have 2
straight and clear path. The path Of
International right is like the path
that just shineth here more and more
unto perfect day..
at does not make any difference
who your opponent is If you take a
position that is right and he knows
that it is right, you are going to estab.
lish the justice of your cause, And
America with its power, never need
be afraid of espousing just cause.
LET the Mexicans understand once
for all that we do not intend to med
die with their affairs, that we desire
that they shall perform their obliga-
tons to US, to protect our citizens,
protect them justly in the enjoyment
of their lives and their property; that
they will perform the guarantees that
they have given us and then we shall
have peace and happiness.
IF they can establish stable gov.
eminent, we will do all that we can
to support it. Talk about policy, what
is the presidents policy? Does any
one know? Has the executive ever
had policy for more than six months
in the Mexican question: repeat
who knows today what the policy of
the administration will be three
months from now? The trouble is
that this administration has written
record that no matter what it says
you don't know whether it will respect
it. You cannot make much progress
along that line? r.0, .',
Protection to Americans.
Nov then we want in the first
place to have our record perfectly
clear, is that we are going to insist
that Mexico shall treat our citizens
properly; and we are going to insist
in way that will make them respect