New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-31
MIR. Wilson's Broken Pledges:

lillo
1.-THE constitutional rights OF
American citizens should protect
them on our borders and go with
them throughout the world, and
ouery American citizen residing
or houing property IN any for
elan country is entitled to and
must be given the full protection
of the United States govern
ment. both for himself and has
property"
The platform also said (perhaps
with a mournful presentiment OF dis
LOYALTY on the part of the candl-
date): "Our pledges are made TO be
kept when in Office as we'll as relied
on during the campaign.
The promise to protect American
citizens residing or having property
in any foreign country was a per-
fectlv natural one for any American
rartv to make. When they made 1t
the trainers of the Baltimore plat
form thought that they were simply
reaffirming a long-established ma
tional principle. The nation which
fails or refuses to protect its own cit
liens when they go abroad does not
deserve TO be called nation. 1t has
either not yet developed national
power and consciousness or 1t IS al
ready long on the way toward decay.
Until Mr.. Wilson's day, no Amer
lean President-no American states
man-has ever failed to recognize
that one of the primary duties of our
government is to maintain American
rights and defend American inter-
ests. whenever or wherever they may
be abridged or denied. But Mr.. Will
son has evolved another doctrine,
hitherto unheard of and unapplied
in the conduct of our foreign rela-
tons. According to that doctrine
the primary duty of the United
States in its dealings with other
countries is to "serve humanity"
whatever that may mean) and to
allow no coarse and mercenary con-
sideration like the safeguarding of
American lives and property to in
terfere with such high-souled, mys-
FERROUS service.
This novel, vicious, perverted and
deplorably un-American doctrine has
been in the back of Mr.. Wilson's
. head ever since he became President.
He acted on it, and threw out hints
from time TO time of his absolute be-
lief in it. But he never reduced it
to clear and unmistakable language
until he made his speech at Shadow
Lawn last month, accepting a re-
nomination for the Presidency. He
then said, defending his failure to
protect the lives and property Of
American citizens in Mexico:
MANY serious wrongs against
the property, many irreparable
wrongs against the persons, of
Americans have been committed
within the territory Of Mexico
herself during this confused
revolution, wrongs which could
not be effectually checked so
long as there was no constituted
power in Mexico which was in a
position 10 check them. We
co1lld not act directly IN that
matter ourselves without deny
ing Mericans the right 10 any
revolution At oil which disturbed
us and making the emancipation
Of her oDn people a1ooit our ol0n
interest and convenience
The assertion is here clearly made
that the protection Of the lives and
property Of Americans in Mexico
the 'vindication of any American
rights whatsoever-must be delayed
and suspended until the Constitu-
tionalist factions (also commendable
agents in the service Of humanity
carry through unimpeded TO its tragic
end the revolution now devastating
and impoyerishing Mexico.
DR.. Charles w. Eliot has also
frankly stated the new Wilson doc
trine in his article in "The Atlantic
Monthly" for October, entitled "The
Achievements Of the = Democratic
Party and It's Leader" In this ar
ticle DR.. Eliot says that the Wilson
Administration has committed the
country 10 two policies with regard
70 Mexico. The first is: mo War
With Mexico" This statement is, OF
courge, obviously incorrect, since Mr..
Wilson has twice made war on Mex