The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-19

merely as a precautionary measure, to put Poison" label on much of the Mexican news. All of 1t isn't poison but a fair share of it is. If labelling it served no other useful purpose, at least 1t would assist the reader in knowing what he was get ting Then If he wanted to swallow 1t the risk wovld be on his on head. Should the label carry no conviction to his mind, he might give the MeM- can news which is set before him a cautious sniff or two. If it yields a strong odor of petroleum he need no longer doubt.
 Tricks to Get U. s, Flag Up
 This Is by way of preface to a general consideration of the activi- ties which are being carried on. more or less subterraneously, by various individuals with the object of i'm pressing the American people with the expediency of hoisting our flag over Mexico They are not getting away with 1t of course. But they are trying mighty hard. Inasmuch as the American people may be as sumed to possess an academic lnte1- est, if nothing more, in what Is done with the flag and the army, they have q right to be enlightened as to the tricks which the individuals in Ques- ton are up to and which they have been up to for several years back.
 In the beginning it might IS well be understood that there is not the slightest reason to fear that their en- deavors to line up public sentiment behind A movement for American in tervention in Mexico will bear fruit. The interventlonists are further away today than ever from putting any thing of that sort across, It is not in the wood.
 Maybe they do not know 1t, obvious as this fact is to persons of unclouded vision. Judging from some of the etupId things the interventionists do, they haven't the intelligence to grasp the fact.
 Widespread Campaign Begun.
 But one can with certitude stick pin in this: A deliberate, widespread and more or less well organized cam patEn is afoot to force American In .+arven+ion in Mexico. And the next Republican Congress Is being de- pended upon to authorize the 1oo. The Congress will not do anything of the sort, barring the looming up of more clouds in the Mexican horizon than the portents and omens now presage or threaten to presage-
 There are any number of excellent reasons why today an American overrunnIng of Mexico Is more remote than 1t has been at any time since 1910, Without recapitulattng them one need consider nothing further than the prime and most effective reason This Is that, aside from the small group of Americans who are financially or sentimentaIly interested in extending the sovereignty Of the TTni+ed States over Mexico, there is not the slightest interest among the 7 rnassas of our people in favor of do- ing anything so far as Mexico is con cerned except to keep our troops out of the country.
 The argument which settles the question in the mind of average citi- zen-granting that 1t may be an un- fortunate argum ent-is this: "Why should I, who am not interested In Mexico or Mexican affairs in any way, shape or manner, toss a rifle over my shoulder and go down into Mexico to rescue the dollars which other Ameri- cans have invested there ?"
 Concedlng that, now or later, other considerations in the Mexican situa- ton exist, or may be created, which bulk bigger in their appeal to the natTlOtlSnl or the OllGuutu AiSAI4CAANN- dignity of our people more than does the abused dollar in foreign land. the fact remains that is the situa- tion at present. And there is no get ting away from 1t.
 All this is said merely in the line Of reassurance, if reinsurance is needed as to the chances of success reward = ing the efforts of the interventiontst propagandists.
 American oil Group Active.
 One petroleum group furnishes in spirationaI power to nine-tenths CT the interventionist propaganda. It IS an American group. The heads of this group have labOred unCeasingly for years to impress its views upon numerous and sundry officials of the United States Government, from the President down to Congressman and officials of various departments. They have given up the President and some others as bad jobs, but they are hanging to Senators and Repre- sentatives - especially members of the incoming Congress-like a puppy to a root.
 Intervention first, last and all the time is the slogan of this group Nothing less will satisfy them. They do not believe, or they affect not to believe, that any solution oterS ol the Mexican situation or that the country ever can be restored to nor mai conditions, except at the muzzle of American cannon and rifles. Theil general publicity propaganda is pre- dicated upon this principle.
 Gradually this group has brough around to their way of thinking anc annexed to their propaganda machine numerous other groups and indivl duals having interests in Mexico They have measurably succeeded 1T effecting 8 solidarity of interests which are inspired with the unques tionably laudable desire to see Mexico bettered, politically and economically Every one who has the welfare O Mexico at heart is keen to see this brought about.
 Perhaps some of the groups an( individuals who have recently joined with the particular petroleum grouI in question have not yet awakened tt have beeO fooled