Grand Forks daily herald., 1916-06-29
CRITICISM FROM MEXICO.

CRITICISM FROM MEXICO.
The government Of the United
States is being criticised by certain
Mexicans for its negligence in patrol
ing and otherwise protecting the bor-
der. II, say these Mexicans. the
United States government had been
sufficiently alert, and had maintained
proper guards at points where attack
was to be feared, there would have
been no bandit raids, no cause for pu.
nitive expeditions, and no complica-
tions at this time.
Such criticism, from such a source,
has a peculiar appearance. 1t is as
If one neishbor should say to anoth-
er: If you had only boarded up your
windows when my boys began throw
ing stones. you would have had no
glass broken. Because you didn't.
the damage Is all your fault
And yet, while the criticism does
not come appropriately from Mexi-
cans. 1t Is merited. The whole country
knew that conditions along the bor-
der were sadly disturbed. The admin
tstration had a mass Of information
which was not in possession Of the
public. The note to Carranza sets
forth facts which were known in
Washington weeks before the Colum-
bus raid, and which made it plain
that outrages Of that kind were to be
expected. Yet no adequate defensive
measures were undertaken. Exposed
places were left without proper pro-
lection. and when Villa undertook his
raid he found nobody to oppose him.
1t will not do to say. that we had
not men enough. nor munitions and
horses and mules enough. We have
all the men and munitions and ma
terial Of all sorts that any nation can
need. That these men and materials
were not where they were needed is
somebody's fault. It is the fault Of
our people, who have been so busy
growing rich that they have forgotten
many Of their obligations az citizens
Of great nation. It is the fault Of
members Of congress that they have
been willing to fool away time in triv-
ial matters while the country was in
need Of real statesmanship. And It
is the fault Of the president Of the
United States that he did not place
these matters before congress in q
manner to compel attention, and that,
failing appropriate action by con.
gress, he did not make an appeal di-
rect to the country in such a manner
that the country would have under
stood exactly what he meant.
On his western tour the presid ent
discussed the question Of prepared
! ness. His treatment Of tho subject,
while excellent so far A. it went, was
too general to bring tho response that
was needed. Suppose that, instead Of
his general discussion, or in addition
to it, the president had said some
thing to this effect:
I'VE are threatened at this momen,
with grave disturbances 1t the Mex.
ican border. I have information tha,
raids into American territory are be-
ing planned. We have not men
enough to protect our citizens. We
have not material enough to equip the
men that We have, to say nothing OF
calling out more. Congress refuses to
act What will you do about IT."
Suppose that an appeal Of that sor,
had been made, what would have been
| the result? From avarv h>,a,>% a.
the United States would have gone
forth the demand that congress 20.
busy. And congress would have gol
busy. with reluctance and bad srac<
on tho part Of some Of the members
but there would have been action.
It Is in leadership Of this kind, in
personal initiative. and in willingness.
to accept responsibility that Presiden,
Wilson has shown that he 10 deficient