The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-08-10
The Mexican Arms Embargo

llS WleAICdn AfIllS Embargo
Congressman Rogers Declares History OF
Country Furnishes no More Disgraceful
Page than Adminstr atoms "On Again,
Off Again" Policy
Declaring that no page in our history
is more disgraceful and more deeply to
be deplored than the "on again, off
again embargo policy of the present
administration with respect to the eX
port of arms and ammunition to Mexico,
Congressman John j. Rogers of Lowell,
Mass, gave the House narrative of the
Kaleidoscope embargo changes of the
past four years, severely arraigning
p esident Wilson, and charging that it
was difficult to square the President 8
lofty utterances with his acts in permit
ting Mexicans to murder one another
and Americans with arms and ammuni-
ton imported from this country. Mr..
Rogers said in part:
Il have supported President Wilson by
my vote and by word Of mouth when the
United States seemed to be standing face
to face with a foreign power. l upheld
the administration in the Vera Cruz incl
dent and in the submarine controversy
with Germany. | trust | shall never
deviate from this course, whatever may
be the politics of the man in the White
House.
"But cannot condone the course of
the present administration in come ton
with munitions expectation to Mexico
Let me very concisely review what
have before given in detail. When Presi-
dent Wilson was inaugurated the Taft
embargo against shipping arms to Mex
leo was in effect. Feb. 3, 1914, Presi-
dent Wilson raised the embargo. April
"a, 1914, at the time of the Vera Cruz
affair, he restored the embargo. May
16, 1914, he raised the embargo so as to
permit expectations by sea. June TO-,
1914, he absolutely restored the en-
barge, sea and land. Sept. 10, 1914. he
raised the embargo. The removal of
this embargo permitted death and dew
astation to pour into Mexico. Yet the
day before the embargo was raised
President Wilson had issued proclama-
ton appointing day of prayer and sup
plication and requesting all Godfearing
persons to unite their petitions to Al
mighty God that, everything the counsel
of men, setting straight the things they
cannot govern or alter, taking pity on
the nations now in the throes of conflict,
he vouchsafe his childen healing peace
again and restore once more that con-
cord among men and nations without
which there can be neither happiness
nor true friendship.
us it any wonder that the friends of
Mexico and the friends of mankind
found it difficult to square the act with
the profession? Is it truly "a service to
humanity to let the Mexicans murder
each other and murder us with dum-dum
bullets? Is it truly the highest altruism
to permit frequent. and long continued
open seasons on American citizens in
Mexico or, oftentimes, within their own
borders near Mexico? When the claim
is made that the administration has
kept the country at peace, does the
peace not resemble that of which Jere-
milan, the prophet, sang: For they have
healed the hurt of the daughter of my
peoples lightly, saying, peace, peace,
when there is no peace.
October 10, 1915, he restored the en-
barge, simultaneously excepting the
forces of Carrapza. June 20, 1916, he
restored the general embargo. Each
time the embargo was imposed, the &C.
tlOn was taken as the result OF outrageS
upon Americans, which surpassed even
the ordinary run of outrages to which we
are, alas, somewhat benumbed. Each
time the embargo was lifted the action
was taken because of slight improve
ment in the internal conditions in Next
co; yet at no time during the past three
years could any man truly state that the
internal troubles of Mexico were at or
approaching an end.
1T has been plain throughout to the
most casual onlooker that, even when
times were relatively improved, the
flames were Only smoldering. 1t requir-
ed neither prescience or omnisclence to
see that the arms and cartridges with
which we were supplying the despera-
does of Mexico might at any time be
turned against US as they had repeated
ly been turned against US in the past.
We must never forget that our dead
were killed with American ammunition,
and that without American ammunition
they would not have met their dreadful
fate. When we think of the hideous
traffic of Mexico, authorized-nay aided
and abetted-by the administration, our
cheeks must blush for shame. The story
is one of the BLACKLIST and saddest i'll our
entire history.''