The sun., 1916-09-01

IA single official expression by the
Government OF the United States. a sin
gle sentence denying assent and record
Ing d%isapproval Of what Germany did in
Belgium. would have given to the people
OF America that leadership to which they
were entitled In their earnest cropping
for the light. 1t would have ranged be-
hind American leadership the conscience
and morality OF the neutral world. 1t
would have brought to American diplo-
macy the respect and strength Of loyalty
to q great cause. But It was not to be
The American Government failed to rise
to the demands OF the great OCCASION
Except Us Out Of War;"
AT this moment Mr.. Wilson and Mr.
Wilson'S fuglemen advance ms his great
est claim that he has kept us out OF
war This claim can be seriously made
only by individuals who indorse Presi-
dent Wilson'S belief that deeds are moth
Ing and words everything. War means
a clash between the armed forces Of two
countries. Nowadays (thanks quite as
much to the professional pacifsts as Ia
The militarists) II means. Furthermore,
the destruction Of tho lives Of civilians,
and the property Of civilians, Ms we'll as
the property Of the Government.
Under President Mckinley we had a
war with Spain. Under President VIII
son We are assured that we have had
peace with Mexico These arc the
words. Now for tho deeds. During the
war with Spain fewer Americans were
killed by the Spaniards than have been
killed by Mexicans during the present
peace with Mexico.
lie me repeat this. A greater num-
Der OF Americans have been killed 10y
Mexlcans during these years whe" We
are officially informed that we have Zen
at peace with them, than were killed by
the Spaniards during our entire wal
with Spain. Moreover. when the wa
with Spain was through, II was through
But peace continues to rage as %furiousl,
as ever in Mexico. Nor is this all. TIL,
instant effect Of the outcome OF the wal
with Spain was to put u stop to th'
dreadful butchery and starvation II
Cuba and the Philippines. and the entr,
Of both cuba and the Philippines on .
career OF eighteen years OF peace ant
prosperity such as they have neve'
known before in all their ~checkered his
tory.
But during these three years OF Mr.
Wilson'S peace the Mex!cans them
selves have been butchered by their owl
bandits steadily and without interm's
sion: and Mexican women and children
have died by thousands-probably b'
scores Of thousands-of starvation. an
of the diseases incident to starvation
In other words. Mr.. McKinley's war cos
less bloodshed than Mr.. Wilson'S peace
and II reflected high honor on the Amer
lean people whereas Mr.. Wilson'S peace
has been one OF shame and dishonor 70
the American people. and one OF ruiz
and bloodshed for the Mexicans them
selves.
Compared to Spanish War.
Mr.. Wilson says we have had peace
with Mexico. lie says lie did not wag'
war with Mexico. II he takes any ON
fort out OF his denial. let US not ins!s
upon the proper Technology. and admit
that he merely waged peace with Mexico
Well, as one Incident OF his wag!nt
peace, We took Vera Cruz. Some seventy
1--WE men wearing the AmNr'can uniform
were killed and wounded. md three VI
four times that number OF MeXicans.
"in Mr.. McKinley's war. we tool
Manila and Dewey's feet lost fewe
mon in the operation that resulted II
the fall OF Manila than were lost IN M
taking of Vera Cruz. Under these condi'
tons. Of what earthly consequence is 4
to assert that the taking OF Vera CRU
was an act Of peace. and the taking oi
Manila IN act OF war? Only by a mis-
use OF Technology. only by the use o'
AN incorrect nomenclature. can we dis
tlnguish one military operation from Tn
other.
The real difference was that Mr.
Wilson became frightened and aban
doned Vera Cruz. whereas Mr.. McK!nle!
did not abandon Manila. Mr., Wilson
operations were war jus, as much a
Mr.. McKinley's. Eat Mr.. Wilson Wa
beaten IN his war. II was n war wh!cl
was entered into po.ntlessly and ahan
doned ignobly II was i war whicl
failed a war which did damage botl
TO the Mexicans and ourselves. and whicl
In It's outcome reflected Infinite dishonoI
upon our nation. But Il was IA wal
nevertheless.
Again. in March last. villa made
raid into American territory. He wa
a bandit leader whose career OF success
ful infamy had been greatly aided b.
Mr.. Wilson'S favor II backing. III
was at the head OF Mexican soldiers
whose arms and ammunition had beef
supplied 10 them in consequence OF Mr.
Wilson'S reversing Mr.. Tafts policy an,
lifting the embargo against arms am
munitions into Mexico. They attacke,
'p.uIIlbuS, y. VI, anu hllltu II IullIbt
Of civilians and a number OF Unite,
States troops.
"On the next day tho President issue,
an announcement that adcqua'" force
would be sent IN pursuit OF villa will
the single OBJECT of capturing h'm.' o.
April 5. announcement Mas made from
tho White House that the troops woul
ra;rain In Mexico until villa was cap
tured. II was furthermore announce
In the press dispatches from Washing
ton that he was to be taken dead o
alive Fine words. Only-they mean
.lothing. He is not dead. He has no
been taken alive.
Spanish War Exceeded.
ION May IL the pursuit o. VIII
formally was abandoned. On June
the official figures OF the dead an
wounded during this futile expedite.
were published. and they showed tina
the killed and wounded included II
United States soldiers and ninety-hv
American civilians. Since then tn
McX!cars have killed many more
notice, for example. in the press that n
Decatur. Ala, there has just been huric
Claude Bates. an American soldier, vii
died July "a OF wounds received ~
days previously In a fight with MeXlca
bandits"
Mr., Roosevelt then quoted the state
ment OF Secretary Lansing, which =,
ferred to three years OF murder, aid
and ~banditry on the border. in whlc
American lives had been lost, America
property destroyed and American train