The Detroit times., 1916-09-01


We took Vera Cruz. Some 70 men
wearing the American uniform were
killed and wounded, and three or four
times that number OF MrNlcans In
Mr. MCklnley's war. we took Manila
and Dewey's fleet lost fewer men In
the operation thet resulted la the
fan ~ Manila than were lost In the
taking OF Vera cruz. Under these
conditions. OF what earthly conse-
quence Is n TO assert that the taking
of Vera cruz was All act OF peace,
and the taking or Manila an act OF
war? Only by a misuse ~ termin-
oioRY, only by the use Of an Incorrect
nomenclature, can we distinguish one
military operation from the other.
The real difference was that Mr..
Wilson became frightened and abHn-
doned Vera cruz. whereas Mr. Nc
Kinley did not abandon Manila Mr..
Wilson, operations were war Just hs
much a. Mr.. Mckinley But Mr.
Wilson was beaten In his war II
was war which was entered into
nointlessly and abandoned ignobly, 10
was a war which failed war which
dtd damage both 70 the MeNicans and
ourselves. and which IN It's outcome
reflected Infinite dishonor upon our
nation. But ~ was war. neNerthe-
less.
Again. in March last. villa made a
raid into American territory. lie was
"A bandit leader whose career 81 sue
cessful infamy had been greatly aid
ed hy Mr. Wilson + favor aud ha K
n
soldiers, who's" arms ana ammunition
had been gtfuftcd 20 them ia Cunse-
qucnco 81 Nj. wilson reversing Mr..
Taftz policy and lft'ng the "mhargo
against arm. md munitions into
NrN leo They ptfacked columbus. y
NJ. and Killed a number Of civilians
and a number OF United states
troops. ON tho next day the presi-
dent issued an announcement that
adequate forces would he sent In pur-
suit of villa with the single object
% capturing him April :. tho an
nouncement was made from he
White House that the troops would
remain in Mexico until villa was cap
tured N was Furthermore announced
I'm the press dispatches from Wash
inEton that he was 10 be taken dead
meant nothing lie rs not dead. He
has not been taken alive.
May -. the pursuit 81 villa was
formally abandoned. June !, the Of
hgial hgures or the, dead ana wound
ed during this futile expedition were
published, and they showed that the
killed and wounded included ll6
tritcd states soldiers and % Ameri-
can civilians Since then the MeNl-
cans have Killed many more. | notice,
FOR example. In tn" press. that at De
catur Alabama. there has just been
buried claude Bates, an American sol
dier, who died July e of wounds re-
rcived two days previously IN fght
with MEXICAN bandits Every week
| hay" seen press statements Of the
killing - American reg ular soldiers
or American civilians on the border
do not know the total number ~
these killings since June but they in
clud~ the tarrizal massacre However,
even before me IN THIS futile cNS-
cans had been Killed and wounded
than IN All the Nights by land and
sea during IN" spanish war save
only the battle ~ Santiago jt,elf
IA at haV r4fI al
Gus peace of Measrs Wilson aud
Carranza In less than three months
more American blood was shed than
IN the destruction ~ the SPAN sh
nect al Manila. and than IN the de-
stturttnD Of the spanish 0eet on san
tiago and than IN the taking Of
Manila. and than nm the hEht at Gna-
simas lu short. lu v1l the operations
combined during the spanish war,
save only the actual battle OF san
ttago ita"lf And set there are per
sons whn seemingly take comfort IN
speaking ~ orc set Of operations as
being vHr. and who praise the other
set as being part OF our policy OF
peace" the hloodstnlncd peace OF
NJ cssrs wilson and Carranza.
Ills tMr WILSON - task was not
an especially difficult cor dangerous
task but 10 needed a brave heart and
steady hand ud"r his lead
AmFrl.a could and should have pat
itself a. the head 90 an IN, neutral
nations. hy itg example = unt hy Hf-
rect diplomatic RgTcCmonts IN de-
handing that tho war should hH con
Quoted IN accordance with the usage
OF civilized nations, Chat iutcrua-
tioual law should be Observed. that
the rights of ucutrais and uun-Cpu-
batants should be- respected. II th.s
spirit had animated our adufIiafra-
ton there would probably have been
no invasion 81 Belgium. no fears 81
Ike fate 60 terrorIZe other smaller
nations. no torpcdoing OF merchant
-. a B.
and hospitals no massacring 81 wo-
men and children no murder ~ Miss
csvclL No attempted cNterm nation
of the Nrm'nians and syrian chris
taus. We cannot undo what has
been done But ~" can repudiate
what has hcon done We can regain
our own seIf-respcct and tho respect
OF other nations for this country
W. can put in power an admiuistra-
ilDu which VIII. throughout its term
OF power. protect our own citizens
and live up 10 our national ohltga-
lions
n is Just that this nation should
concern itsclf with its rights hat ~
Is even moro necessary that II
should .Hr.,rn itself with its duties
As between. MI Hughes and Mir VIII
son who ear dpuHf which ~ tho man
who viii with auetere courage stand
Tor tho uat unal duty Mr. Wilson
word ha.r r.ufra'ici'd ono another;
and all his words have been contra
dlrtod .Iy nus a,ta Mr. Wilson
promise h1e NOT horne tho slightest
reference q" hls Irrtvrmanre W"
have 1Eniu-t HIM ~ Mr. Hughcs. n
man vhoF" public NE Ig ~ugran'e"
that wht'ct ~ ne savs hc will make
EO.d. ard hli all rs Wutd. wa Nc
h.rU' oui hr his de'ds AE9fnst Mr.
vs. lSop. com niuaffun q grace M
cloe4tiou w'fh fuflty in ac. ION.
against hie rrrHid 90 words HuhI Rcd
10y deeds or H'trJv'H hN dt o.. SEQ