The Topeka state journal., 1919-07-04
WHAT ABOUT MEXICO?


Reports of the murder and robbery
of American citizens continue to come
out of Mexico. Not all of these out
RACES are credited to the followers of
Villa. Instances are related in which
the perpetrators have been clad in the
uniform of Carranza soldiers.
Surely something should be done
moving rapidly towards the precipi-
tation of a climax. The testimony of
Mr.. Polk before the house-foreign af-
fairs committee is a step in that direc-
tion. The Juarez battle is another step
along the same lines. If we entered
that fight as an ally of the irresponsi-
BILE brigand Carranza against the ir-
responsible brigand Villa, we should
know the fact.
Circumstantial evidence now points
strongly to the conclusion, says Har-
vey's Weekly, that, however we'll the
provocative circumstances were man
aged, we did to all intents and pur-
poses send our men across the border
to fight Carranza's battles. We had
tried to help Carranza prior to the bat
tie by giving his troops permission to
cross our territory. 1t was only on the
2Sth- of May, because of a storm of
protest, that that permission was re-
voked. When Villa attacked Juarez,
and would have taken 1t but for our
Intervention, bullets wounded Ameri-
cans in FL Paso.
With the knowledge that this would
provoke instant American interven-
tion, to whose interest was it, Car
ranza's or Villas, inquiries Colonel
Harvey, that that Intervention came?
To the interest of which of the two
was it that bullets wounded Ameri-
cans in Ell Paso: Carranza's. for whom
American Intervention meant victory,
or Villas, for whom ur\intervention
meant the instant defeat which Re ul-
timately suffered?
Senator Fall, of New Mexico. speak
ing in the senate, said that geographic.
cally speaking. no man could tell
whether the bullets came from Car
ranzistas- or Villistas. I
American-hating Carranza appears
to be the pet OF the administration.
He was a factor in our determination
that the Mexicans should not have
Huerta for their President altho all
the other governments were content
to recognize him. In effect, it was in
Carranza's interest that we made that
descent on Vera Cruz which was seem
ingly devoid of purpose, devoid of 9TH
er than deplorable results, and pro-
ductive only of death and wounds for
our American seamen, death and mis-
cry for hundreds of helpless ones in
Vera Cruz, and contempt for our gov
ernment. But it put Carranza in pow
er ultimately just as our Intervention
at Juarez tends to keep him in power.
If General Funston had been per-
mitted to continue his work so well
begun at Vera Cruz. Mexico before
this time would have been a decent
and orderly country. The task which
Funston started is still to be complet-
ed and must be finished at some time
both for the good of Mexico and that
Of ourselves.
Quoting from Senator. Beveridge:
For years Mexico has been in
state of anarchy; American men and
women have been killed and out
ragged. American property destroyed.
the American flag literally trampled
in the dust"
Along the whole length of the Mex
lean border American troops are on
guard day and night. The actual mon
etary cost to the American people has
been estimated at $1,000, 900 per week.
Our troops are there to protect the
border from raids, murders and rob-
berries, and that the world may not be
shocked and Mortified by a repetition
OF the Columbus raid.