Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-22
THE RIDICULOUS
DREAM, ''HE HAS
kept US OUT OF WAR;

Washington, D. c., Sept. 21.-Claims
that President Wilson has Kept us out
| Of war are so ridiculously untrue that
| it is amusing to those who know the
facts, declared Representative Charles F.
Curry of California, in a statement here
| today.
His refusal to recognize Huerta as
the de facto President Of Mexico, as was
| done by European nations, encouraged
bandit chiefs to continue their guerrilla
warfare. Since then his vacillating pol
! icy putting on embargoes one day and
lifting them the next. supporting one
faction today and another tomorrow,
| debating who should not be candidate
! for the Presidency Of Mexico, and his
meddlesome muddling generally, caused
| by his personal antipathy to Huerta,
| based on an uncomplimentary remark
| made about him by Huerta, prolonged
| the revolutions.
! president Wilson committed two acts
of war against Mexico. One punitive
expedition was for the avowed purpose
! Of compelling Huerta to fire a salute Of
! twenty-one guns to our flag; a number
| of American Marines and Mexicans were
killed at Vera Cruz; the supply Of note
paper at the White House was exhaust
| ed, but the salute was not fired. The
second punitive expedition was after the
raid on Columbus and was to get Villa
dead of alive Villa still lives and is
at liberty
THE President called for a confer
ence of Mexican factions to establish a
de facto government but said he would
that failed to attend. Carranza was the
only leader that refused to pay attention
to the conference and President Wilson
recognized him.
In handling the Mexican situation
| the Wilson administration has invaria-
bly, done those things it ought not to
| have done and left undone those things
it ought to have done
The President has reiterated and his
| mouthpieces have claimed so often that
he is entitled to the credit of keeping us
| out of the European war that many
persons accept the statements as true.
Neither the Allies nor the Central Pow
ers want the United States to become in
volved in the conflict
Nothing can involve us in that con-
fict unless we deliberately cease to
maintain strict neutrality and blunder
| into 1t. The United States is three thou
sand miles away from the European con-
| flct. Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Nor
way, and Switzerland are right at the
doors of the warning nations and vet
these little countries are not involved.
| 1t is absurd for the Presidents partisans
| to claim that he has kept us out of
war
The President is an exceedingly eru-
i dite well-meaning, kindly, polished gen.
tleman. possessing more book learning
and less wisdom than any of his pred.
ecessors. During the time he has &C.
| cupied the Presidential chair it has been
demonstrated conclusively that it is one
OF the most easy of intellectual efforts
for scholastic idealist to dream
| creams evolve theories, and in imagina-
'ioii govern the world from a philoso-
pners chair, but that when 1t comes to
dealing with flesh and blood, human ma
lure economic conditions, and interna-
tlonal problems as they are It Is an en-
tlreiy different proposition. It is NOT
dreams and theories but facts and CON.
oitlons that must be considered. not ali.
stract philosophy but concrete wisdom,
'iat must De used to effectively govern
people In such manner as to surely
safeguard their rights and liberties ana
advance their prosperity at home and
protect the national welfare and main
tain the dignity. honor, and power ~
the Commonwealth abroad.
The people have not forgotten that
AFTER a conference with the President on
diplomatic complications of an acute na.
lure between our Government and one
OF the European belligerents, distin.
| gnished members Of the Senate For.,a,
relations Committee told Senator'S and
representatives and even stated to
| ne"spapermen that the President had
oecome very much excited during the
conference and in vehement manner
mac said IN enect, 1T might not be a bad
.hins Tor civilization and would hasten
the END II the United States would .n,.r
the war on the side Of the allies.
early In MS administration the Pros