The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-07-05
WILSON AND THE
MEXICO PROBLEM
His Handling Of 1t Has
Been Admirable.
he HAS TRIED TO AvOIO WAR
In the Face OF Selfish aad Par.
tisan Criticism He Has
Stood SteadfaSt.
GUIDED BY A SINGLE IMPULSE

President Wilson has never want
ed war. In the days when his OPP
ponents attacked him and tried to
goad him into the use of the armed
forces of the United States, he re-
manned steadfast to his determine
ton that the blood of young Ameri-
can soldiers should never be shed
except as the last recourse in the eff
fort to uphold the honor of the
nation.
Once, when even graver eventual
tiles Were threatened, the patience
of President Wilson's statesmansiIip
was rewarded by diplomatic victory
that made the shedding OF blood un-
necessary. 1t was the Presidents
previous moderation that gave such
force to the ominous ultimatum
which brought full concession to the
rights of America and humanity.
No President in the history of the
United States has ever placed the
cause OF the people of the United
States upon a higher plane. No
President has ever struggled more
valiantly to preserve peace with
honor. His critics have proved the
case for President Wilson. Their
unanimous approval of his present
course has not dulled the edge of
his desire for honorable peace.
The Immortality of the Presi-
dent in the face of selfish and par
tisan criticism, coming from those
who thought more of personal adj
vantage than of the welfare of the
nation, has been the best security OF
the American people throughout the
time the world has been darkened
by war clouds.
If the sword of Righteousness
must now be unsheathed, the Amer
lean people know that it is because
peaceful means have been exhaust
ed. If the sword is raised to strike,
it is because the head of the de
facto government of Mexico refuses
to respect the rights of America.
No President has ever tried so
hard to interpret the real spirit of
America. Mr.. Wilson has said that
he would rather know what the men
and women, gathered around their
own firesldes. are saying than to lis
ten to the orations of the self-ap-
pointed.
In his handling of the Mexican
problem. President Wilson has been
guided by the single impulse to do
what the American people would
have him do-to exhaust all the
peaceful means at his disposal to
protect the lives and property of
Americans, and, failing in that, to
uphold the honor and dignity of the
nation by the use of its armed
forces.
The note written by the State De-
partment to General Carranza in re-
spouse to his threat to attack the
American troops presented the COM
plete case of tie American Govern
ment against Mexico. AS in the Eu-
ropean situation, when the ultima
tum with its ominous note brought
full concessions, ii marked the end
of President Wilson'S patience.
The lives of the American soldiers
in Mexico, soldiers who were sent
there to protect the border from the
raids of bandits, bent on numbering
Americans. had been threatened.
In the might of righteousness, the
sword OF America was then raised to
strike, and in the struggle that
threatens, the nation enters upon its
task with a clean and fearless heart.
Behind the President. who has so
truly represented the charitable
spirit OF the American people, be-
hind the President now in his grim
determination TO use the full mill
tary and naval strength of the ma
ton in support of the American
troops in Mexico, stand the mighty
host of patriotic Americans. united,
valiant and conscious OF the faith
fulness of their leader to the ideals
of real Americanism.