Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-19
FRUITS OF HESITATION REAPED
IN LATEST MEXICAN lNFAMY
oissraeefu Ransom Episode Is Further
Bitter Pressure Upon Us TO MAKE
Peace" ConclusiVeIy Beyond
the Rio Grande

THE man who was later to direct the
L greatest military operation ever
undertaken by an American army-the
Argonne Observation-Disclosures his small
but capable and seasoned body of regular
army troops from Mexico in November,
1916, with his mission unfulilcd.
Nobody doubted at the timc-and sub
scquent events have richly confirmed the
popular bclief-but that General John j.
Pershng could have captured Villa and
any other outlaw and have completely
restored order to northern Mexico. His
recall with his task unfinished was the
| direct result of obstinate official faith in
situation which simply didn't exist.
Carran2a had assured the government
Of tho United States that he was equal to
enforcing the elementary laws Of civiIi-
zation in the nests of Mexican brigandage
and that his soldiers would compel their
Observance. A protocol providing for the
return of our expedition was signed.
So far as Mcxico's promised perform.
ance was concerned, it proved as worth
| less as a Bolshevst constitution. The
| states of Sonora, Coahuila and Chihua-
| hua with their brgands and road agent
"revolutionists," have outraged the prin-
! ciples of justice and security to human
| life uninterruptedy since 1910, when the
| tyraut Diaz fell.
The assumption that the constitutional
| ist president could fulfill his pledges was
! based upon perlous and academic ilu
sion. Virtually the entire American
public, save those persons in control at
| Washington realized the futllty of our
| lragicalIy supne dealings with Mexico
and foresaw its inevitable consequences.
| The sole consistency in a course Of con
! tinued Wavering was persistent and
almost inconceivabe perversity in dodg-
| ing facts
The subject of the suppression of
wanton and murderous outlawry cannot
be mastered by correspondence school
methods. Mr.. Wilson seemed to think it
| could be-
Meanwhile the Insolence of the bandittl
| has fatally increased Nenustiano Car
rama is clearly incapable of governing
| the northern states of his own country.
| The United States is without authority
! there, for its citizens are slain, perse-
| rulers in evidence-the outlaws who play
one actually helpless government against
another which behaves as though it were
equally weak.
In the capture and detention for ran
som of the two army aviators, Paul II.
Davis and Harold &. Peterson, Americas
cup of humiliation is filled to overflow
ing. In all our history there are few
| incidents so discreditable to our honor
| and dignity as a nation. Like all civil
lied governments, ours has had its diff
culties with brigandage and piracy. For
the latter offense we whoesomely chas-
tised the Barbary states in 1904 and 1915,
and it was because of Germanys black
| flag methods that we challenged her
''selfish dominion" and helped to de-
stroy it.
The capture of Ellen Stone by Mace
donan bandits is not parallel. Turkey
was not at our back door as Mexico is,
and the sole means of saving her life was
| the payment of the huge ransom de-
manded.
But the Perdicaris episode offers both
| striking similarties and in its outcome
! significant contrasts The bashaw of
! Tanger was in 1904 the Carranza of his
region, assuming an authority which he
! did not possess. The notorious Raisuli
| defied him and, by way of pressure to win
concessions from the Moroccan govern
ment" captured Ion Perdicaris-an
| American citizen despite his Greek
name-and held him for $4,000 ransom
The bashaw promptly granted all de-
mandS.
But it was not really Raisuli whom he
feared, 1t was the sharp and deter
mined policy of the United States Gov
ernment, summarized in the vivid phrase
"Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead"
John Hay was reported to have sent
! that message to Mr.. Gummere, the
| American consul at Tangicr. It's au-
thenticity has been since denied But
whether such words were actually used
or not, the methods employed meant the
| same thing.
An American squadron Under Admiral
! Chadwick steamed into the harb6r of
| Tangier There was no mistaking the
resolution of the State Department 1t
disclaimed any Endorsement of the
bashaw's concessions to Raisul, some of
which were territorial John Hays con-
cern was the life of an American cit-
zen. The policy adopted was completely
triumphant.
Look upon that picture and on this.
The plight of Lieutenants Davis and
Peterson is not isolated. 1t is the culmi-
nation of a sickening line of criminal
ofFenses committed against Americans in
Mexico. 1t is the shameful inheritance
of Houndering, vaciIIation and sickIy pa
thence by the most powerful and the rich
est nation on earth.
A "sharp demand" is made on Mexico.
| c,....nr,nn ir strnnrlu Ilrrnh La MI A.. ~.