Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-08-24
STILL PLAYING FOX AND GEESE WITH MEXICAN ISSUE

the training grounds Fort Ethan Allen and it stated that
Kentucky, Ohio and Vermont troops to quickly
as possible without waiting until recruited to mobilization
strength.
The full military significance this announcement does
not appear until knows that there already 100000 of
the National Guard and $4,000 of the United States regulars
on OF the Mexican border and that the carrying of
the order quoted would make forces in the Rio Gane
glon aggregate the large number of $4,000 men.
This order was issued after the Wilson literary bureau
sent out from Washington the of the practical
both governments concerned to submit the whole matter to
ha GPese en- tRG two nations with ~
ence to all foreign questions is illustrated and demonstrated
the order for the snns of e addo oo
22ooo troops to Mexico The given the possibility
OF strike Of the 100000 railroad employees involved in the
This excuse is insufficient and misleading it is
sung to the intelligence of the American people and especial
to the tIamen Of the United States standing for their
rights 1t involves the idea that the conductors and engi
neers and other inmen calling eight day would
Go violence requiring troops to protect trains and also that
the few troops remaining would be sufficient in such
guard all the railroads in the United States. Either SUPPOSE
ton is the height of absdy and illustrates the utter
inability Of the Wilson administration to grasp and deal in
stanty arise in connection with both domestic affairs and
the o1egn relations of this great nation If the troops
needed there has been development their with
holding they not the order for their moving to Mex
leo was ineXcusable. Choose which.
Despite the claim Of the administration that has solved
the Mexican situation, the taxpayers of Vermont have been
forced through the mistake of the federal government
Neonts administration to to the expense of relieving
distress occasoned by the continued maintenance Of force
of 100000 men in the Rio Grande region.
ManifeStly has Numbered tremendously. Secre-
a Baker OF the war department. at Washington in addition
letter
question of relief He says in part:
"A call to arms upon any body of men in the country
except the regular who make profession of the mill
tary life would inevitably interrupt business professional
and personal careers.
"The department regrets these Inconvenience and hopes
that the emergency will rapidly disappear and that there will
be such restoration Of order and security the frontier
will permit the speedy return of these citizen soldiers to their
In the meantime the department has taken steps to nit
al hardhps which arisen classes especially subject
distress by of the service demanded To the extent
sdeaton must be the safety of border and the
ton and protection of the lives of citizens there"
1t took the Wilson administration three to find this
out and to-day our navy the most effective weapon against
Mexico is not utilized.
patment that members Of the National Guard having depend
en nh relying upon them YOU'D be sent home vo
will be required to relieve the members Of the Vermont Ma
Guard called to the Mexican service having dependent
families Which government is at fault?
should seen to it that the war department carried
out its duty to dependent families of members of the Ma
troll Of the State They are engaged in service for the na
ton is for the nation to bear the burden of their support
National defence is national duty Where the RESPONSE
by for failure relieve these who have responded
the call of patriotism will ultimately rest remains to be deter
dered
That politics has figured largely in this whole miserable
Mexican business printed by less journal than the
democratic Brooklyn Eagle which is trying hard support
President Wilson for reelection but evidently finds hard
work. me Eagle prints letter written by an officer of the
brooklyn National Guard to his wife and evidently not intend
ed tor publication. The Brooklyn officer says in part
NINETY per cent Of the in this camp sick of it
and cant get moved horne too quick the officer Declares
This whole blamed business political WIRE We
all that and if the United States had the
National Guard down here at tie time they did and for the
they did the National Guard would have been
federaized Since have been here have had three
workouts small problem and drilled about five days be-
sides and the other days dug streets and canals had to
stick to tents.
This is not personal opinion alone but write
1t after talking to in my and other companies
Here is argument Over so per cent of enlist
ed strength are who enlisted after June 10 in the
hope that their country needed their services protect their
country They enlisted because they wanted Join
National Guard but to fight If they wanted join the Ma
tona Guard they would have been in before Now that
there is prospect of fight they get back their
work.
ut is true that will have to stay, but think for
the organizations in which the largest of the enlisted
strength is made Of business that should
be made to them home and when the whole thing
vestgaed surely will be- you will find the opposition to
this will from the politicians who have the grating
tractors for their friends.
Everything here quiet graveyard but another gilt
tering newspaper article Wells Almost Knocked Off Bridge
by MeXicans, sometime doubt made big STIR No
word Of truth in it, but the real truth is there is so little
rather excitement here that they hard put to get
and believe in another week will hardly