Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-26
Chaotic Mexico
BY NORMAN BRIDGE
address before the Council Foreign Relations.l

.OUR CHIEF words tonight
ought to be constructive. We
should try to help Mexico 10
the things she needs and deserves
But first we must know the facts
if we can. 1t does not profiet US to
fool ourselves as to conditions, or
for Mexicans to deceive themselves.
And three are conflicting voices in
the air as to conditions in Mexico.
We know from a masterful state
ment of Secretary Lansing, ad-
dressed to Mexico some two years
ago, that a long catalog of out
RACES had been endured by our citi-
zens, including many murders. The
list of such killings has now reached
five hundred or more.
Months ago a great cry of starva-
ton and nakedness came up from
Mexico. .OurSRed Cross went down
there with food. and clothes, found
the desolation, and began to relieve
1T. But Carranza soon told the Red
Cross workers they were not needed
and they came home. But the DESC
lation was there and has contin-
ued. ....
Now we have numerous reports
spread starvation even in Mexico
City, of prevalent disorders, robber-
les, outrages upon people. blackmail
and graft by Mexican officials, and
of six or seven small armies OF
counter-revolutionaries in different
parts of the country, and in open
hostility to the Carranza govern
ment
Mr.. CreeI's Rosy Views
Mr.: Creel has for months been
publishing in Mexico City a weekly
branch of his daily bulletin of pub
lie war information. under an act
of our own congress. It has been
filled with little besides a roseate
story of the great progress of the
Mexican government toward normal
conditions. Yet we know that in the
very last month on five different
railroads there were in eleven days
some thirteen instances of bandit
outrages of more or less destruc-
ton.
We have the indubitable proof
that during the last year in a small
area of the eastern littoral there oc.
Cured this list of outrages: Eighty
robberies (many of them highway
robberies) and of large sums OF
money; twenty-five men killed
mostly unarmed Americans: twenty
men and women brutally maltreated
(some of them in ways unprinta blel
and several men captured and held
for ransom.
There can be no question that
the present Mexican government ha.
planned and is trying to effectuate
wholesale confiscation of the prop.
erty of foreigners. property acquired
under law by purchase and lease
and that the United States, Holland
and Great Britain have solemnly
protested against this violation OF
international faith and usage.
Weknow that thousands of the best
and most brainy Mexicans are eX.
patriated and fear death il they re.
turn home.
There is no doubt Carranza is try.
ing to bring about order, and with
poor success. His people are tired
and long for peace and security
Many of them see no outlook for
these blessings at a permanency save
by American intervention-a feeling
they often voice in private to Ameri.
can friends-of course, never pub.
licly. To the dominating five per
cent. of MeXicans this idea is abhor-
rent and they mostly hate Amer
leans.
There ought to be better way tc
help than by Intervention. What Is
that way? What are the things
necessary for the Mexican govern
ment to do, and how can we helI
it to a laudable and possible sue
cess?
The First Steps
OF course. the early steps are to
establish order. put down opposing
factions and protect life and prop
erty. stop the grating of subor-
dinates and conduct the government
on business lines. Next. rehabili-
tate the railroads, now wrecked OF
on the verge of wreckage, and re-
establish travel and business. Make
it safe for men to plant and them
selves reap and have their harvest
and not have it stolen by factional
armies and bandits. or the govern
ment soldiers.
But the government must be refin-
anced before these things can he
done-if they are to be done in a
reasonable time or in an effective
manner.
The bondholders and other credit
ors ought to be willing to accept
refunding at lower interest. il Sc
.euHity can be had. Claimants fol-
damages, ought to- be willing.to cut
down SIieffS claims If thereEcan be