Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-08-30
BITTERLY ARRAIGNS
THE MEXICAN POLICY

Ft. Fairfield, Aug. 2s-No moro bitter
arraignment Of the policy of President
Wilson in dealing with the Mexican sit
uation has been delivered during the
campaign than was the philippe by Hon
Newton w. Gilbert, former congressman
from Indiana, at a Republican rally here
tonight. Mr.. Gilbert>has been intimately
| in touch with the situation. In speaking
of the relations between the Unite;.
| States and the neighboring republic he
| said:
THE most disgraceful chapter in the
history of President Wilson's administra-
tion is the chapter relating to Mexico.
When was boy l cherished the belief
that If at any time of my life l found m,
self in foreign country engaged in
lawful pursuit, and great danger shoul
come to me, that had but to pluck from
my bosom the American flag and wave
1t about my head, and that the power
my country would be exerted to its ut
most to protect me, one Of it's citizens
we have lived to see the day when this
is not true. Hundreds of American cit.
Gems in Mexico destroyed their American
flags and hoisted English or German flag
in order that they might have protection
to escape from the country. The vaunte'
plank in the Democratic platform, adopt
ed at Baltimore four years ago as to the
protection of American citizens abroad
has been utterly violated.
We intervened in the affairs Of Mexico
! from the beginning of the Wilson admin
istration by not only refusing to recog-
ize Huerta, but by announcing to the
| world that we would drive him from his
seat, and by taking all possible steps tc
accomplish that end What business had
we saying to the Mexican people who
they should have for President? Our
only business was to see that American
lives and American property were pro
tected in the enjoyment of their rights
We waged a war not with Mexico but
with Huerta. when we sent our troops t.
Vera Cruz. They were sent there osten-
sibly to secure salute to the flag, no,
from the President Of the Mexican repub-
| lie but from Mr.. Huerta, whom we had
refused to recognize. We secured no sa-
lutte. Many of our soldier boys were
killed and the only recompense that we
had for the $1o.00o000 expended in that
expedition was a paltry million dollars
that we captured In the custom house
money which presumably belonged to the
Mexican government which we did not
recognize and against which we were not
at war.
"Mr. Wilson raised tho embargo upon
arms and ammunition going from the
United States to Mexico and permitted
Villa, the most cruel bandit Of modern
times, to secure those arms. to be. after
wards used against our citizens and
against our soldiers We sent an expedi-
ton into Mexico ostensibly to punish
Villa after Mr.. Wilson had determined
that after all. Carranza was the man he
wanted to recognize, and yet whom this
expedition had penetrated Mexico 100
miles or so, orders were given that they
should not further advance. neither for
ward nor to tho right or to tho loft, and
during these weary months they have re-
mained there. useless except to fonnent
trouble A number Of these soldiers have
been killed and yet we have taken no ef-
fective measure to redress our injury.
american men OF high and low degree
have been murdered throughout Mexico.
American women have been rav1shed,
American children have been tortured,
American property has been destroyed.
and during the entire time the admins
tration at Warrington has sat inert.
government which does not seek to pro-
tect its citizens has no right to exist.
that is one Of the highest purposes OF
government. Our meddlesome interior
ence created tho situation. and then our
President had neither tho courage nor
tho honor to fulfil his oath Of ONCE The
whole wretched story is ono Of tncompe-
tence, heediessness and cowardice."