The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-24
HALF TRUTHS ON NExIco.
Secretary L~ansine's Report Said TO
BE Specious and Misleading.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. Sec
rotary Lansing's report on Mexico deals
largely In half truths. IL says. for in
stance. that when the murder Of Aneri-
can citizens was reported the Depart
ment of State made representations
through It's representatives for the APP
prehension and punishment of the as
%sailants." SC. Mr.. Lansing did not add.
as he should have done. that such rep
RESERVATIONS were always made in an
entirely ~pcrfunctory manner and that
they never received the slightest atten-
ton from the Mexican authorities. The
only exception to this statement liz to
be found In the recent execution OF the
men who were said TO have been impli-
Gated In the Santa Isabe murders.
To compare the number Of Americans
killed in Mexico during MIR. Wilson's
Administration with the number who
met n similar fate during Mr.. Taft's
Presidency is an unspeakably childish
proceeding. The fact that a former
President neglected his duty In the mat
ter OF protecting Americans Is no ex.
use for a similar failure on the part
Of President Wilson. Secretary Lansing
says further:
years 1910, 1911 and 1912. when u snuch
smaller area was disturbed by war. forty
seven Americans los. their lives In Mex
leo. and this at u time when the country
was assumed to be at peace. since the
Madero revolution. which began November
20. 1910. lasted only six months.
True. but Immediately after the Ma
dcro revolution came the revolts OF
orozco and Iapata: the first lasted for
about six months. the second Is not over
yet, In addition to these two there
were countless disturbances of less i'm
portance all over Mexico, n any one
who assumed the country TO be at peace
during those times was indulging In an
assumption not based on fact.
Again. Mr.. Lansing tells us hat In
1918, 1914 and 1916 nlnety-two Mexi-
ans were killed on American soil.
! presume that this was put In as
"A reminder 10 the American public that
We ourselves are not free from blame.
But the details are withheld II IL not
stated how thes" men met their death.
Knowing conditions un the border, as ]
do. ! am ready to believe that some OF
the M,xicans In question were murdered
In void blood. hut I am equally con-
Nnccd tha. fully nine-tenths of them
were members of bands of horse thieves
II werc killed while raiding ranches
on the American side ~ the line. On
~ 'NAA' NV "a AA' NiiaN INV
in Mexico almost all were peaceful. law
abiding individuals. Many of them. O.
he sure. We're killed Internationally. as
for Instance. Mrs. Iiolr, Mira. Griffith
II a man named Meredith, none Of
whom Is mentioned In Mr.. Lansings
list. All three We're killed by stray
missiles during the bombardmcnt "
Mexico ely In February. 1918. They
were not murdered IN II sense Of the
word Their deaths took place before
Mr.. Wilson's inauguration. but the fact
that their names do not appear In Mr.
Lansirs's report suggests that there
MAJ bc many similar omissions.
Ther" Is one i"atur. ~ the Mexican
question on which perhaps tn" Seuat.
might like Information. ! refer TO the
communication addressed To- both Car
rama and Ohregon In March Of last
year. ~ that time they were IN con-
troll Of Mexico city hut contemplated
Withdrawing their forces The foreign
diplomats realized that c~arranzas
evaruat!un Of Mexico ci,y meant it's &C.
cupatiou by Iarata. and became appre-
heusilc OF what might happen in that
event. As a result 81 th.i- representa-
ijoGs 10 the Brazilian Minister. and
through him to Washington. both car
rama ana Dbrc-on were notified ny our
stat. Department that they must fur
nish protection "a the civilian popula-
'i"n of Mexico city. and that II a. the
result of their evacuation any damage
should occur they would he held per
sonally responsible. In the face ~ this
note and without a moments hesitation
Obregou abandoned the capital AS had
been foresscn. Iapatd entered. John
g.. McMsuus was murdered. a French
woman Was outraged and other cx-
o"SSes were committed. hut if either
CarranZa or obregon has ever been held
- account personally for these occur
Fences the fact has not been recorded.
bus cannot blame the whole Mexican
nation for hrutaliti-s committed by
bandits and criminals. Al tho same
tim" II u. impoSsibl" not 10 feel ashamed
Of a Government which j. forever utter
ing dire threats and which invariably
fails to back them up.
- W. kSoBihrcu.
AMuSiA, y. Y. February -.