The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-07-13
WHOSE WAR?
From the Philapelphia North American
The real history of the threatened

wal NWllH MSAiCOj Is HUI ISCOIueu III
public documents; it Is buried in the
files of the executive offices at the
White House.
In word, the war with Mexico, if
war it becomes, will be the exclusive
production of President Wilson. There
is no single achievement of this adj
ministration which bears so indelibly
the imprint of his personality and man
agement as this impending struggle,
the, end of which no man can fore
see.
Some readers, no doubt, will depre-
cate this making of a foreign involve
ment vehicle of criticism. "Stand by
the President" is a popular. insistent
and justifiable demand. A Wilson
newspaper remarks. I'VE know pretty
well where we are, and how we arrived
is of small consequence. But there is
a sharp distinction between support of
the executive in measure fer defense of
national interest-in which this news
paper Loyalty jOins-and Endorsement of
acts on his part which produced the
emergency. 1t emphatically is the right
and the duty of Americans to inquire
''how we arrived" in this deplorable
situation; and they will find that it was
through the ill-considered, unintelligent
and headstrong policies of the man
whose chief claim to reelection is that
''he has kept the country out of war. "
1t will be urged, Of course, that in a
time of national stress politics should
be excluded from discussion of govern
mental affairs. But it is President
Wilson's partisans, not his critics, who
are determined that the Mexican prob
lem shall be made a political issue.
The Democratic party insists upon
making a political issue of the Mexican
policy and the threatened conflict; and
the only proper answer to the challenge
is a statement Of the facts. We have
said that this is President Wilson war.
What is the testimony of the record?
With manifest high purpose he Sc
lected the Mexican problem as the
first and most important matter to be
dealt with by his administration. With
in week Of assuming office he took
personal charge Of it, devised and APP
piled his own solution, and committed
the government and the people OF the
United States to the course which has
produced the present situation.
Typical intrigue and revolution had
placed in power in Mexico Victoriano
Huerta; his government was q dictator
ship based upon usurpation and ruthless
force, but it was far more real than
any that succeeded it. and it had the
vital virtue of possessing the forms of
authority. Without warning and with
out consulting any known person, Presi-
dent Wilson made public proclamation
that the regime of Huerta was obnoM-
Gus to the United States. and that it
would never be recognized.
This was, of course, the inauguration
of an entirely novel policy in interna-
tional affairs. The act appalled, the
diplomats of Europe and of Latin
America, first because ii involved di-
rect interference with the domestic
affairs of Mexico; and, second, because
it tended to undermine the only existing
authority in that restless country, which
is a condition fatal to order in regions
inhabitated by people like the Mexicans.
1t was useless to plead that President
Wilson acted from motives of genuine
friendship toward the distracted re-
public. He had taken it upon himself
to overthrow its defacto Government
and to demand that one be set up which
would satisfy his own views, and this
course sowed in Mexico the seeds of
distrust which have produced the pres
ent harvest of hatred and hostility.
But the fundamental miscalculation
was that the President regarded his
extraordinary action as negative in
nature-a mere Withholding of Ameri-
can recognition from an unworthy ex-
ecutive. 1t was. on the contrary, an
affirmative procedure. 1t implied that
thelGovernment of Mexico must be not
only effective but in harmony With the
purposes of Washington
"Watchful waiting" and "the steady
pressure of moral force" tailed to dis
lodge the adrolt dictator. President
Wilson involved the United States in
secret partnership with Huerta's enc
mics, Carranza and Villa. To those IN
scrupulous bandit leaders ENJOYS from
the White House were sent, and their
sanguinary military operations were
deliberately encouraged, not only by
official approval, but by the issuance
Of orders which enabled them to obtain
arms and ammunition from this coun-
try.
But in placing responsibility, the
chief point to be remembered is that
all these proceedings were dictated and
supervised by President Wilson person
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