The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-03
WILSON'S DEMAND FOR
MEXICO IS JUSTICE
Republican stock Arguments Rrfuted
BY Democratic National TEX
Book just Out
REAL REASON FOR
TAKING OF VERA CRUZ
Action Was Directed Solely at Hncrta
Bexnuse of His Intolerable Conduct
and Resulted In His Elimination
As Factor In situation


or the relations of the United states
with Mexico during President Wilson $
administrator is contained in TIE
u aexican chapter OF Democratic Ma
tional Tex: Book, released for publ
cation today.
president wilson's faith in democ-
racy. and the unselhshness OF tha
United States IN international deal
ings." says the text book. have been
80 strik,rsly expressed in his Mexican
policy that they may be said TO con
stitute the greatest contribution which
the country has made in many yeas
TO the progressive thought OF man
kind
WILSON'S DEMAND FOR
MEXICO IS-JI 'STICE
The keVnote Of Woodrow Wilson :
endeavor throughout the long. varied
and difficult course OF Mexican affaii
rs summed up N the Chapter-headirt;.
wilson's demand for Mexico ts--Jus-
tee"
me larger phases OF the whole ques-
ton are treated in part as follows
Two considerations have animated
the President in the formulation OF
his Mexican policy and have compelled
his adherence in Il throughout MS aH -
ministration, namely:
The firm conviction that all ma
lions both weak and the powerful
have the inviolable right ia control
their internal affairs
THE belief, esta bhshed upon the
history OF the world, that Mexico viii
never become a peaceful and law
abiding neighbor Of the United States
until she has been permitted 10 achieve
permanent and basic settlement OF
her troubles with outside interference.
The Wilson Mexican policy is Of a
piece with the new statesmanship
which will regulate the international
affairs OF the world when the lessons
of the European war have been
learned and applied one OF the safe
guards which civilization fs sure to
set up against a recurrence OF SUCH
a war as is now being waged, is an IN
strumentality to protect the sovereign
rights OF weak nations.
''All I,atin-America looked on In
tentiy as the United States dealt with
Mexico. Suspicion which mad been
engendered by the long years OF mis-
understanding and mistrust. preceding
Mr.. Wilson's administration, made the
Mexican policy IN the eyes of our
neighbors real test Of the sincerity
OF the friendly protestatons the. Unit
ed states was making To all the gov
ernrnents OF America. The more for
tnnate Republics of Central and South
America clearly were OF the conviction
that they could expect no better treat
naeni for themselves IN less fortunate
circumstances than the United State:
would mete out to Mexico.
AMERICAS PROBLEM HAS
BEEN ONE OF IONG-sTANDISG
1T is impossible to grasp the vita
signifcance of President Wilson
8 Mexican policy without "a broad knowl
edge Of conditions which had prevailed
in Mexico before President Wilson wa'
inaugurated. The Mexican problem
in its present form had existed fol
the American government ever since
our frontier was extended to the Rio
Grande There had been peaceful
periods in which for the most par
order had been maintained and inter
national obligations fulfilled, but in
termittently there had arisen provoca
tive circumstances similar in characte,
TO those with which President Wilson
has had to deal The peace and order
which was thus capable of being IN
terrupted was a superimposed peace
and order. and not the normal express
sion OF the contentment of seif-regu'
lated people. When the people main
tanned the peace il was because they
were forced to do so, and not because
justice reigned in the land Thus II
was that the history of Mexico, Ike
the history of every aspiring people
pressed upon President Wilson'S con
sideration the truth that no pcrma
nent good relations could exist be
tween this great Northern Republic
and the one Immediately south Of VI
until she had been left free to pu
her house n order however painful
that process might be and whatever
the demands II might make upon the
forhearatfce OF the tinted States.
WAS BLOW AT HUERTA,
NOT AT MEXICAN PEOPLE,
when Huerta ignored American
ultimatum demanding salute to TIT
flag. President Wilson ordered seiz
ure Of the Port OF Vera Cruz by th'
American naval forces then in Mex
lean water. The seizure occurred OF
April 81. II was accomplished afte
the death of nineteen American sail
ors and marines, and approximate,
too MexicanE The action was dreCtet
solely against Huerta and the force
he controlled. The President made /
clear that the undertaking TO which h,
applied the American forces was no
war against Mexico but a strok
against the individual and his follow
ers who had perpetrated insult
against the United States. Huerta'
insolence had become intolerah BILE TIL
Presidents forbearance and his kind
iy sympathy for the Mexican peopl
could not Justify him longer In permit
ting a continuance OF Huerta's inso
lence.
1T should be remem bered that al
ways in the Presidents mind there ha
been reservations as to the extent o
the sacrifices which the United State
government could make in order |
avoid armed clashes with one of tn
offending Mexican factions. The pur
pose behind the Vera Cruz expedi
.ion was much the same as that /