Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-20


ment which you admit was either not to
apply to the present expedition or was
to contain impracticable restrictions ON
its organization and operation; then by
actual opposition, encouraged and foSt-
cred by the lie facto government, to the
further advance of the expedition into
Villa territory which was followed by
the sudden suspension of all negotia-
tiOns for an agreement for the pur.
suit of Villa and his followers, and the
protection of the frontier; and finally
by a demand for the immediate with
drawal of the American troops.
Anarchy Steadily Increases.
meantime, conditions of anarchy
in the border states of Mexico were
continually growing worse.
"In view of the actual state of af
fairs as / have outlined it above, ] am
now in a position to consider the con-
! illusions which you have drawn under
your acknowledgment from the erron-
eous statements of fact which you have
set forth.
"Your government intimates, if it
does not openly charge, that the atti-
tude of the United States is one of
Iinsincerity, distrust and suspicion to-
ward the de facto government of Mex
leo and that the intention of the United
States in sending its troops to Mexico is
to extend its sovereignty over Mexican
territory and not merely for the purpose
of pursuing marauders and preventing
future raids across the border. The
de facto government charges by impli.
cation which admits of but one inter
probation, that this government has as
its object territorial aggrandizement
ever at the expense of a war of aggres-
sion against a neighbor weakened by
years Of civil strife. The government
of the United States, If it has designs
upon the territory of Mexico would
have had difficulty in finding during
this period of revolution and disorder
many plausible arguments for interven-
tion in Mexican affairs. Hoping, how
ever, that the people of Mexico, would
through their own efforts restore peace
and establish an orderly government,
the United States has awaited with pa
| tientee the cOnsummation of the revolu-
| ton.
"When the superiority of the revolu-
tion led by General Carranza became un-
doubted, the United States, after con-
ferring with six other of the American
republics, recognized Internationally
the present de facto government. l
hoped and expected that that COVER
ment would speedily restore or.
der.
We Have Endured Much.
'This government has waited month
after month for the consummation of its
hope and expectation. In spite of in
creasing discouragements, in spite of
repeated provOcations to exercise force,
L. the government of the Uni
ted States has refrained from aggres-
sive action and sought by appeals and
moderate, though explicit, demands, to
impress upon the de facto government,
| the seriousness of the situation.
fIn the face of constantly renewed
evidence of the patience and restraint
/ of this government, in circumstances
which only government imbued with
unselfishness and a sincere respect for
the full sovereign rights and national
dignity of the Mexican people, would
have endured, doubts and suspicious as
to the motives of the government of
| the United States are expressed in
your communication Of May %, for
which / can imagine no purpose but to
impugn the good faith of this govern
ment for | find it hard to believe that
such imputatiOns are not universally
known to be without the least shadow
of justification in fact.
"Can the de facto government doubt
that, if the United States had turned
covetous eyes ON Mexican territory, il
, could have found many pretexts in the
past for the qualification Of its desire
| Can that government doubt that months
ago, when the war between the revo-
/ lutionary factions was in progress, a
much better opportunity than the pres
ent was afforded for American inter
vention, if such had been the purpose of
the United States, as the de facto gov
ernment now insinuates? What motive
could this government have had in re-
framing from taking advantage Of such
opportunities other than unselfish
friendship for the Mexican re.
public2
Slipping and Evasive.
"You state that even the American
forces along the border find them
selves physically unable to protect eff
fectively the frontier on the American
side. Obviously, if there is no means
Of reaching bands rowing on Mexican
territory and making sudden dashes at
night into American territory it is i'm
possible to prevent such invasions I'M
less the frontier is protected by cor
don Of troops. No government could
be expected to maintain a force of this
strength along the boundary Of a nation
with which it is at peace for the pur.
pose Of resisting the onslaughts Of a
few bands of lawless men, especially
when the neighboring states makes no
effort to urevent these attacks. The
most effective method Of preventing
raids of this nature, as past experience
has fully demonstrated is to visit pun
ishment or destruction upon the raid
ers.
at is precisely this plan which the
United States desires to follow along
the border, without any intention Of in
fringing upon the sovereign rights OF
her neighbor, but which, although oh
viously advantageous TO the de factC
government, it refuses to allow or even
lcountenance.
"The Mexican government further