The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean., 1916-04-20

r
forces Of military power which are ex.
hibited in Europe from laying hold
upon the vast territory and practically
undefended wealth Of the new world
Have We still national ideals? win
anybody live for them? Would any.
body die for them? Or are we all fol
ease and comfort and wealth at any
price? Confronted by such questions
as these and the practical situations
which give rise to them. is the coun
try satisfied to trust itself again In the
hands Of the Democratic party?
lmpotsnt Interference In Mexico.
= The United States had rights and
duties in Mexico More than 10000 Of
our citizens had sought their fortunes
and made their homes there. thou.
sand millions Of American capital had
been invested in that productive coun.
try. But revolution had come. and
factional warfare was rife Americans
had been murdered. American proper.
ty had been wantonly destroyed. the
lives and property Of all Americans in
Mexico were In danger That was the
situation when Mr.. Wilson became
president In March. 1913 His duty
then was plain. 1t was. 1rst. to use
his powers as president to secure pro
lection for the lives and property OF
Americans in Mexico and to require
that rules of law and stipulations of
treaties should be observed by Mexico
toward the United States and its citi.
Iens. His duty was. second. as the
head Of foreign power to respect the
Independence of Mexico. to refrain
from all interference with her interna,
affairs, from all attempt at domina-
tion except as he was justified by the
law of nations for the protection Of
American rights The president Of the
United States failed to observe either
Of those duties. He deliberately aban.
doned them both and followed an en-.
tirely different and inconsistent pur.
pose. He interviewed in Mexico to aid
one faction in civil strife against an.
other. He undertook to pull down
Huerta and set Carranza up in bis
place. Arms and munitions Of war
were freely furnished to the northern
forces and withheld from Huerta.
Finally the president sent our army
and navy to invade Mexico and cap.
ture its great seaport, Vera Cruz, and
hold it and throttle Mexican commerce
until Huerta fell.
Americans Outraged In Mexico.
The government of the United States
intervened in Mexico to control the In
ternal affairs Of that independent coun.
try and to enforce the will of the
American president in those affairs by
threat, by economic pressure and by
force of arms. Upon what claim of
right did this Intervention proceed?
Not to secure respect for American
rights. not to protect the lives or prop
erty Of our citizens. not to assert the
laws Of nations. not 10 compel observ
ance Of the law Of humanity. On the
contrary, Huerta's was tEe only power
In Mexico to which appeal could be
made for protection Of life ar property
That wes the only power which. in
fact, did protect either American or
European or Mexican 1t was only
within the territory where Hnerta
ruled that comparative peace and nr
der prevailed. The territory orer
which the armed power Of Carranza
and villa and their associates extended
was the theater of the most appalling
crimes. Bands of robbers rovcd ,!m
country with unbridled license Amer
teams and Mexicans alike were at tbci,
mercy. and American men were mnr
dered and American women were out
ragged with impunity. Thousands were
reduced to poverty by the wanton de
suuction of the industries through,
which they lived. Yet the government
Of the United States ignored. con
doned, the murder of American mcr
and the rape Of American women and
destruction of American property and
insult to American officers and delile.
ment Of the American flag and joined
itself to the men who were guilty OF
all these things to pull down the pow
er Of Huerta. Why? The president
himself has told us. 1t was because
he adjudged Huerta to be q usurper
because he deemed that the common
people of Mexico ought to have great.
er participation in government and
share in the land. and he believed that
Carranza and Villa would give them
these things. We must all sympathize
with these sentiments. but there Is
nothing more dangerous than mis-.
placed sentiment.
When our army landed at Vera Cruz
Carranza himself, who was to be the
chief beneficiary of the act, pubiidy
protested against it. So strong was
the resentment that he could not have
kept his followers otherwise. When
Huerta had fallen the new government
which for the day. had succeeded to
his place peremptorily demanded the
withdrawal of the. American troops.
The universal sentiment Of Mexicans
required the peremptory demand. and
the troops were withdrawn. Still
worse than that, the taking of Vera
Cruz destroyed confidence in the sin.
cerity Of the American government In
Mexico. because every Intelligent man