Evening star., 1919-08-15
q. S. Watchfully Waiting.

q. S. Watchfu1ly Waiting.
The course of this government for
the moment will be revived "watchful
waiting" Carranza has been warned.
This government can proceed no fur
ther until Carranza either makes or
does not make an endeavor to do the
things expected of him.
In case Carranza cannot control the
situation or makes no serious effort
to do SO, one of the first steps of
Washington will be to cut off the
shipment OF arms and munitions
which have. since Carranza's recog-
tites Of large and small degree. This
would be one of the most serious
blows that Carranza could suffer in
view of the fact that this country is
the one upon which he most largely
relies for the maintenance of his
armies in their operations against the
numerous rebel bands which are con-
stantly menacing not only his tenure
of ONCE, but law and order through
greater part of Mexico. -ss. ~.
II . believed In Washington that
should this step be taken Carranza's
RaEsE II ea1ilsS Ms1tss sy Gisy . XGgla e e,sS %s
through the absolute norf-support In
any way, shape or form of the exist
ing government in Mexico City.
Question Of Intervention.
In case this and other measures
which this government would proceed
with are of no avail in settling the
the question of out and out fnterven-
ton, but it can be definitely stated
that this administration will not take
steps to make Mexico safe for in
vestors." as one official has put it, un-
less 1t Is a last resort.
The theory Is advanced also in certain
official Quarters that there would be
loss of thousands of lives through in
tervention. and there naturally arises
question as to whether American
losses in Mexico up to the moment
justify any policy which will lead to
the government will intervene. and
with swiftness. should the Mexican
situation grow so serious that there
Is no other course left open.
1t is believed. however. that the de-
sired goal can be attained by more
The announcement Of the exchange
OF representations between the two
governments was made by the State
Department yesterday. The American
message Is terse, but emphatic, lack
ing only diplomatic technicalities to
be in the form Of an ultimatum. The
Mexican reply to the American note
is not wholly satisfactory to govern
there have been recent developments
in Mexico which would indicate that
possibly the warning sent by this
country has had good effect upon
Mexicans generally.
Want Action, Not Mere Intent.
Had Mexico done more and said less
up to the moment in the protection
of American lives and property with
in Mexico there would be greater in
clination on the part of administra-
tion officials to view the Mexican re-
ply in even more hopeful light. The
Carranza government. in its note.
says: THE willingness to furnish
this protection has been expressed re-
peatedly." What the American gov
ernment desires is not a mere willing
ness, or expression that the Mexican
government Is willing, but it actually
wants the thing done.
There could not have been as many
acts of depreciation against Amerf-
can property and there could not
have been as many Americans slain
without punishment of guilty parties
since Carranza assumed power. If
by the Mexican government to frus-
trate outrages is the contention in
Washington.
Government officials here are in
clined to believe that Mexico's state
ment, '"The material difficulties in the
way of fulfilling promise, supposing
that it has not been fulfilled. should
not be confused with unwillingness
to do so. especially as this willing
ness had been demonstrated by acts"
is nothing more or less than an at
tempt to whitewash the lack of at
tention of the Carranza regime in the
past to the little detail of protecting
American property, and at the same
time is a confession of weakness that
the Carranza rule up to the present
moment has been unable to deal as
drastically with the lawless elements
as any well organized government
would be expected to do.
Danger to Foreigners.
In pointing out the dangers of all
foreigners in Mexico, because of the
sparsely populated and difficult coun-
try. particularly If these foreigners.
through ignorance, lack of prudence
or rash eagerness for profit. venture
to remain or to travel In dangerous
regions, thereby incurring the risk of
becoming the victims of offenses," the
attic truth, according to- official opin-
ion, but 1T is emphatically denied by
certain officials here that all infringe
ments upon American property rights.
all outrages perpetrated against life
and American citizenship have oc-
Cured in the moro outlying sections
Of Mexico, where policing powers of
the government would be weakest.
In fact. a greater proportion Of the