Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-08-17
Intervention Only Solution of
Situation Between Coun-
tries says Elton Brock
SHOULD DEVELOP U. S. TRADE
Manufacturers Should Take Ad-
vantages of War to Secure
New Markets


solution to the situation now existing
between the United States and Mex
ico," was the statement of w. Elton
Brock, prominent business man in
Mexico, who is spending few days
in this city previous to his return TO
Mexico City Mr.. Brock has been con-
rected in a business way with leaders
OF both factions in Mexico and is
acquainted with conditions on the
border and i'm the interior. Mr.. Brock
is graduate of Alma college with the
class of 1899.
Intervention has been the one
thing that could have solved the
trouble from the opening of the con-
troversy several years ago if the ad-
ministration had not been influenced
otherwise Americans in Mexico have
always wanted the government to in
tervene not from the standpoint, as
sc many people think, of financial
gain to ourselves, but from human
itarian point of view. Mexico needs
the assistance of this country and
she has always needed it, only it has
been had to understand just what the
attitude fthe United States was to-
ward the Mexican. The general public
in Mexico are uneducated and ignor-
ant and they have been more or less
influenced by some Of the big per-
sonalities Of which there are several
in Mexico. But on the other hand a
great many Mexicans especially down
in the interior would be glad to see a
plan of Intervention carried out by
this country. In all probability in
tervention at the present would be a
very difficult task TO carry out and yet
such a plan could be so completed as
to meet with the entire satisfaction
of the Mexicans. The real oppor-
tunity of the government was lost
when it did not intervene previous to
the present border trouble.
"The whole cause of the trouble be-
tween this county and Mexico start
ed right along the border. For many
months people living in the interior
new nothing of the causes and very
little of the trouble only what they
picked up from rumors coming their
way. The people on the border, both
OF this side of the river and on the
other, have always caused trouble.
The Texans in many cases have been
as much to blame as those across the
Rio Grande. For my part | would
rather meet a Mexican than Texan.
The sending of the troops to the
border was about the only wise thing
thing that the present administration
has done during the last three years.
Many of the Mexicans along the bord-
er had the idea that the soldiers of
this country were of no consequence,
and that our army had no equipment
whatsoever. They have a different
notion of our strength now that the
border has been lined with troops for
several weeks. Opposing this coun-
try took on a different color along the
border when Mexicans actually saw
the soldiers in action.
"The great mistake that this govern
ment has made and apparently is GO
ing to continue to make is over trade
with Mexico. Before the war in
Europe practically everything came
from across the water. In the case of
automobiles there were four machines
from Europe in Mexico to one from
America. That is about the ratio in
every line. When the war closes the
situation will revert back to where it
was before hostilities commenced
simply because this country is not
making any effort to establish perm
anent foreign trade. Because of the
war our home markets are left bare
of any foreign articles and our manu-
ufacturing concerns are satisfied to
reap a harvest in this country now in
stead of planning definitely on estab-
fishing their products in markets
which belonged to foreign countries
before the war. The European coun-
tries will simply commence where they
left off unless we do something about
it,
"rhis country should have every bit
Oh the lTdOe WIFI ntNlCO dlu a MA
joIity of the trade in South America.
1t could have it if the administration
and merchants would take certain
steps to make it convenient for for
eign countries to trade here. Eng
land did it, Germany did it and why
can't the United States do the same? !?
When asked il he thought any f9-
cign country was influencing Mexico
TO continue the trouble with this
country Mr.. Brock stated that he did
not think there was a word of truth in
it Japan he said might want to
do something Of the sort in order to
keep the United States out of Mexico
SC that she might have place to send
her overflow of population. In Mr..
Brooks opinion the assertion that per-
haps Germany was using her influence
in Mexico to start war; with
this country in order to stop the flow
of munitions to the allies had no
foundation at all.