The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-05-02
THE ADVERTISERS sEMI.wEEkLY
The LOGICAL Solution

1NHE position OF our army in Mexico is now
one of serious possibilities, says the San Fran
CISCO Atgouautt Some 5000 or 5000 American
ths boundary. Villa. well in advance of pursuit
fis how beyond the range Of capture by military
|methods-as indeed he has been all along. But
what OF our army 1t is in country barren OF
supplies surrounded by suIIen hostility. To press
forward further would be folly. To turn back will
be humiliation. We set forth with loud boasts
VIZ were going to 'get Villa" matter what
tile cost might be in time or in money We have
not got Villa; we are not in the way of getting
him.
But this is not all or the worst Of the situation
Between our little army and its base at Columbus
New Mexico there are 400 miles G.; difficult and
|unfriendly country; and in this region there is
assembled modified we believe is the military
like $4,000 Mexicans under
arms-four FIVE times the numerical strength
Of our own little army. Nominay these forces
are attached to Carranza and therefore must he
regarded as friendly But as a matter of fact
every greaSer Of them is hatcr Of everything
American and in his heart resentfu of the move
nlent of our forces upon Mexican soil. 1t does t
call for any miracle of judgement to see that in
situation so tightly drawn there is grave hazard
to our army. Carranza will not willingly turn
against us. But his hold upon his men is a slight
one. They quite as likely to command him
as he to command them There is danger that
some trivial incident may touch off a highly com
bustible situation; and that might easily mean re-
enactment larger scale of the cruel story OF
the Alamo. To put it plainly, Our little force III
Mexico is in very grave peril Washington may
not and probably does not know it. Washington
has not from the beginning seemed to know any
thing of the real state of affairs Mexican
1t Is Idle to say over again what was said
in these columns a month ago, namely, that send
ing army after William GRAND better suited
to sheriff's poSse-was a foolish and futile en-
lterprse We need now consider only the immc-
iiate condition. 1t is one in which the first
thought should be for the safety OF our men. But
we have another thought comng-a thought for
the honor of Our country and in consideration OF
its responsibilities and duties. Our government
ought to take the bull by the horns We should
seize the Mexican railways and send to General
Pershing adequate supplies and adequate rein
forcements. Even if we have to strip every mill
tary post in the country we ought without day s
delay to put into Mexico a force strong enough.
and properly equipped to stay there. t" achieve
the only purpose for which we had any right to
60 there. Nothing should stand between us and
the protection of the who have iolluwe ed our
flag into Mexico, even though it has been upon a
futile errand. We are in Mexico now and iur a
cause which our own people and the world will
respect. To return would be shameful. There is
nothing to do but to go forward The sooner we
start for the City Of Mexico, and the more energy
put into the movement. the better it viii be
for every interest concerned.
Surely it must now be apparent even to minds
little susceptible to unpleasant truth that we mus,
As related to Mexico, choose between a policy Of
rowardice and policy OF courage We must either
&" at Mexico hammer and-tongS, suppress drive
out tacOnal dSturbcrs, enforce peace the Culin-
try and establish orderly means OF sustaining it,
or we must wash hands OF the whole bust
ncss-leaving Mexico to weltcr in, anarchy untH
such time peace in Europe may put England or
Germany or France i'll position to take over the
job Of pacihcatiOn. If there were practical under
standing and rcd-booded courage at Washington,
there would be no question about it, What PreS-
lent Wilson will do We may not even guess. His
failure comprehend the situation in its practical
aspects, his congenital inability to assume
definite position and hold to tin brief his pro-
pcnsity to change his mind, to change his policy,
to go forward step then backward two steps,
leaves us little room for hope that he will do
better than he has already done. Sadly we fear
that this 'expeditionary movement" entered upon
with reckless boIdnesS, will turn out just another
Of the long series Of bluffs and plumbers which
have destroyed American prestige i'll Mexico,
cheapened our repute and our sef-respcct, and
placed us in position where men OF knowledge
and courage stand abashcd and ashamed
Whether on account Of liawaii's bad example
n from some other cause, it has been decided in