Arizona republican., 1916-03-24
Gathering Clouds in the South

Every day emphasizes the difficulties Of the American expedition into Mexico which, according to the accumulation of daily reports is taking the character invasion for which prepared than for invasion of Germany the United Kingdom. We are apparently sending posse comitatus The short sightedness the blindness of government will be held responsible whatever disaster may befall in Mexico along the border. The administration has failed perceive what many thoughtful and fairly informed Americans long ago foresaw-that Mexico could not be reformed within itself; that if stable to be established should have to help estab- fish it.
 The president and Mr. Bryan had beautiful dreams of orderly constitutional government in Mexico. They in the revolution against Huerta of the oppressed against the oppressor. To them appeared that the revolution expression of the aspirations of the Mexican peop,e, when in fact it only movement of ignorant popuace which revolution was more pleasant than work and afforded opportunities for loot rather than of political freedom and the leaders of which selfish, ambitious incompetents bandits who m braced the opportunity to engage in brgandage broader scale
 We just powerful enough encourage the revolution and prevent the estap;ishment of only kind of government that has succeeded in keeping order in Mexico. The administration played constantly into the hands of Villa and finally aban- doned him with reluctance when his cause seemed hopeless.
 We had committed ourselves policy of blind interference in the affairs of Mexico yet took step strengthen ourselves against a time when reference would be forced take the rather than words and ultimatums. recognized pretended recognize, that there danger lurking along the border. We had the greater part ,,f ,,,t sleepy sort of watch But still, step for prepar- edness for evenualities which were every day i'm minent.
 Perhaps the president still dreamed that would not need men that the dreaded name, American would the turbulent Mexicans when every one familiar with the sentiment in Mexico knew that the name had long since ceased to inspire that with Mexican hatred of us there had come to be mingled contempt; that our nacton had come to be inter- preted to be cowardice and weakness, and we yet prove Mexicans interpretation is not true
 And, then came Columbus and then dragged along for week the preparations for puny punitive expedition for which even now three weeks later no support has been prepared. We are precisely where we were six weeks, year, years ago when were dreaming of universal peace. That is we are still there paper but have the blind con- fidence in ourselves had then we have lost in morale and we have certainly lost much in prestige
 Without force back punitive expedition which must now be intervention retreat we have done the de facto government of Mexico great harm and have increased difficulty of it's task of re- storing order if we have made that task inn possible The effect of the attack upon Columbus, The Republican pointed the time it were followed by American invasion, is beginning to be manifest-the unification of the Mexican der the banner of Villa who has made himself a hero to MeXicans by fearlessly provoking the nvason The leaders of the de facto government must follow he masses to Villas banner suffer elimination
 In this situation we have a small force of men wandering unfamiliar desert and mountain in Mexico. Back of it is a small force along the border pitifully small, but all we have for it's support.
 And, there we today facing gravest possibilities with the slightest preparations hay ing been made or under way, to meet them. The dwadng, the muddng, the inertia, the blindness of the administration have been frightful
 It is wonder that the American people are sIckened and are praying for the coming of a strong man to guide them of the depths into which they have been sunk