Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-29
MEXICAN MYSTERIES

TNHE imprisonment of Consular Agent
Jenkins in Pueba, the execution of
General Angeles and the report of a
revolution in Mexico City are porten-
tously timed. The sequence of events,
however, and the relations of cause and
effect are still obscure. The State De-
partment thickens the mystery by ST.
lence in Washington which Ell Paso re-
fuses to initiate, since it is that border
city which acquaints the public with
both the text of the peremptory Ameri-
can note and with the Carranza Govern
ments reply concerning Jenkins. The
American note is translated from the
Spanish!
Under such circumstances it is not
easy to fix values in the controversy
Unless a full disclosure of the facts is
made not from a rumor hot-bed on the
Rio Grande, but from the national capital,
American opinion on the Jenkins case
is inevitably confused.
To defend Jenkins if he has been a
lawbreaker is sheer jingoism. To aban-
don him if he is an innocent victim is
to make tlavesty Of the national honor
and dignity and the elemental prnci-
pies of justice. Public enlightenment
is imperatively needed.
There is, of course, possibility that
the administration has knowledge of
facts that may soon change the whole
complexion of the situation and that, in
accordance with the pre-Adamite diplo-
matte code, it has deliberately chosen
to be enigmatic until a cardinal and eff
fective play can be made. Certainly
there seems to be no question that the
shooting of Angeles has made in Mexico
a deep impression, of which reaction
against Carranza highhandedness may
be the consequence.
Tyranny has a tendency to show off at
the moment when it begins to realize
that its regime may fail. Witness the
execution of the Duke d'Enghien by Ma
poleon. At. the peak of his popularity
the emperor would never have committed
that blunder. AS it was, the date of the
act marked date in his decline
For some months it has been clear that
in certain essential particulars CaFranza
has not been his own master in Mexico.
He has declined re-election-an unprec-
SuSHCSu PClIOi HlulISS III Cue bOuCnefn
republic, unless under pressure. Prom
inent civilians and army officers are said
to be leagued together into powerful
cabal, under the terms of what is known.
with Hispanic irony, as "gentleman's
agreement"
Unquestionably, politics in Mexico is
at the boiling point. The traditional
next move is revolution. If Obregon,
who recently announced his candidacy
for the presidency, has really taken up
arms, his enmity must have been fore
seen by Carranza, whose answer was
the intimidation policy exemplifed by
the fate of Angeles at chihuahua.
Washington refuses to be surprised
by the latest revolt rumor.. Its attitude
of omniscience may resemble that of the
doctor playing safe with his conven-
tional "As / thought" or it may result
from inquiry, of which the nation is
kept in ignorance.
With every fact in hand the Mexican
problem would be tragically battling.
Sooner or later, however, start toward
solving it must be made. Frankness
and resolute, candid policies are the
prime necessities.
The covering method, either with re-
gard to a representative in trouble, a
traveller waylaid or revolution in TO-
ment, leads nowhere.