The sun., 1916-08-22
PUTS BLAME ON WILSON.
Ralph ID. cole Says.

P~oRrLANp. Ne. Aug 81 - Charging
President Woodrow Wilson with direct
responsibility for the death 81 every
American marine II blueJacket and
every Mexican killed In the attack on
Vera cruz In 1914. Ralph i. cole, chair
man OF the speakers bureau % the Re-
publican National! Committee, made tn.
opening speech in the Republican cam
paixn in this city tonight. Mr. cole
made this charge by way Of reply to
senator James Hamilton Lewis Of HI
nois. who IN defence Of the Democratic
Mexican policy declared on the floor OF
the Senate that the Generals OF the Re
publican party" were responsible 10Y the
death OF every American soldier killed
on the Mexican border in the year .!ld,
Il answer Senator Lewis with this.
said Mr.. Cole. Here and now ] place
the responsibility for the dealt, OF the
nineteen American marines and hue
Jackets and the scores Of Mex'cans killed
at Vera Cruz upon tho head OF the man
who issued the order 20 our men rot 10
FIRE until they were tir"d upon.
"Is II was necessary to take Vera
Cruz II could have been done without
shedding q drop 90 blood. II could have
been taken without the loss ot "a man.
Had Il not been for the orders that
Handicapped Admiral Fletcher this would
have been done, and as commander IN
chief OF the army and navy President
Wilson was and is directly responsible.
Men sent 10 Death.
Had Admiral Fletcher been told
merely to take Vera cruz he would have
served notice ON Tie commander of the
Mexican forces there tina II he aid not
surrender within a stated period the
.Nmeric IN fleet would shelf the city. II
would never have been necessary to
carry out that ultimatum. Half n dozen
- inch shells sent screaming over the
city would have sent every armed Mexi-
can within It's borders scurry!rg To- the
sane hills and Vera CRU would have
been occupied without the loss OF an
American life.
The BRAY boys sent ashore from
Pitchers fleet at Vera CRUZ with or
ders not 10 shoot until they We're shot
were sent To certain death. 1t was
needless. incXcusable. II It was not
murder 1t was murd"rous meddling.
murderous stupidity. | call II murder.
and ] say to YOU that all the solemn,
fulsome words of eulogy pronounced over
their funcrl. b!crs did moi minlm.zc the
load Of responsibility for the wanton
waste Of their blood that rests upon the
head Of him whose orders they obeycd.
Various Spokesman for the Demo-
cratic Administration repeatedly have
denied that We are at war with Mexico,
or that we have ever been AT war with
our sister republic. They declare with
yehcmence hat the landing of our
forces nj Vera Cruz and the taking II
that Mexican port was not an act Of
war.
called m Not Of War.
II say that intervention on the part
OF the President OF the United States Ia
overthrow the de fHc,o Government Of
Mexico was in itself an act Of war.
~ say thar the INVASION Of Mexican
soil for the enforcement of that decree
VAS an act of war.
81 say that the battle at Vera Cruz
between American soldiers and Mexican
forces. in which nineteen Americans
were killed and more than 100 McXicans
were slain. ~ war.
"President Wilson himself. over the
dead bodies OF the American soldiers
slain IN the battle ~ Vera Cruz, pro-
nounced it war-a war for humanity