The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-09-08
THE COLONEL EXPLODES

speech OF the campaign Tor JuStlc
Hughes at Lewiston, Me-, last FIR
day. Of course it was vigorous, eX
travagant and characteristic of tn
man, but he said nothing new; he ha
said it all before, phrased little diff
ferently, perhaps, but still repetition
of his old fault-finding criticism o
the administration and an exploita
ton of his impractical ideas of tht
responsibility of the United States
government as a self-installed guard
ian of the sovereignty of the smaller
European Kingdoms.
He attacks President Wilson for
not going to Belgium's aid when
Germany started to march her armies
through that small principality in dis
regard of treaty rights. If by this
he means physical aid, such action
would have meant war with Germany,
entangling alliance with England,
France and Russia, and a meddling
with European affairs that would
have dissipated every particle of
meaning in the Monroe Doctrine. If
he means that the United States
should have entered a diplomatic pro-
test, however vigorous such a protest
might have been, it would have been
a futile display of words, for Ger
many's guns were bombarding the
strongholds of brave little Belgium
before any part of the world knew of
Germany's determination to march
her armies through Belgium as the
quickest way to get at France. What
would diplomatic protests have avail
ed if not backed up by the United
States navy and army? And that
would have been a declaration of war
without any effort to avoid CON
f1ict, for Germany was already cut
ting her way through Belgium, and
no sort of threats would have pre-
vailed with her to abandon her strate-
gic tactics to reach France. Take
either of the Colonel's attitudes and
it would hs~e involved the United
States in the European war, which |
appears to be his only idea of ad-
justing international difficulties. Is
that the American demoeraey's idea
of craftsmanship and wise admins
tration? We cannot think so.
The policy of President Wilson in
dealing with the sinking of the Lus- ,
ltania and Germany's submarine war
fare on merchant vessels, which the
Colonel has characterized as weak
and ineffective, was strong and Wig
1rous enough to bring Germanyt to
terms, with an acknowledgement of
,he justice of the United States
stand on international law, a prom
Sc to abandon the submarine attacks
without warning and search, and rep
ration for the lives and property of
American citizens as far as such repa- ..
alton could be made. The former
she has complied with, we }
'elieve, and of course the latter can
lot be adjusted while the war con-
inues. This, however, does not !
eem to be satisfactory to the Colon
/. What else would he have-re- !;
enge? =
And then the Presidents policy in
ealing with Mexico. Mr.. Wilson has q
been patient with that un- Z
Apply, revolution distracted country. =
lany outrages have been perpetrated, \
9th during Mr.. Taft's and Mr.. Will :
on's administrations, by irresponsi- v
lie revolutionary bands of bandits, r
lat would have justified the United ls
tates in the eyes of old-world ma !,
ons in invading and taking armed \
possession of Mexico, for in their =
yes the exploitation of weaker ma ;,
ons and territorial expansion is the f,
lie rather than the exception. But :,
&c exploitation of Mexico's SPLEEN E,
d natural resources under the old 81
epublican policy of "dollar diplo- n,
acy," by American as well as other =,
reign investors, and the evils and y
)pressions of the Mexican people !,
owing out of it, are largely re- ar
onsible for the revolutionary condi- h,
IN of that unhappy Republic. =.
ould this country be justified under II
oh conditions, even with great pro- Il
cation, of precipitating war with
sxico, overpowering her people and n,
lding them in subsection? The d
lited States might do that, but 4,
i'd we justify ourselves in our ii
n estimation or that Of Christian ii
nanity? NJ
md what effect would such an act
re upon the other Latin nations Of
18th America? It would create ey- aT
greater and more widespread dis he
St than already exists among b!.