El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-13

Gen. ALVARO OBREG0N'S address to the American
people, urging against American intervention in Mex
ico derives significance chiefly because Gen Obregon is apt
to be the president Of Meco-unless intervention
comes soon
Ger. 0bregon's attitude as Mexican toward the
United States differs from CarTanzaat least in this
message He takes conciliatory and complimentary
tone Csrranza always has his shoulders thrown back
his feet spread wide and a chip on his shoulder.
Eft Gen. Oregon like nearly all prominent Mexicans
writing % save off Intervention, tries to gloss the
facts and it appear that the only motive for inter
ventiOn to benefit the property interests Of minority
Of American citizens IN Mexico Notwithstanding that
American life is cheap Mexico except possibly, in the
large cities that the roll Of American men,
women children slain and barbaTousy treated
z Iong and ever frightening no Mexican antinterven-
zionist admit that the United States concerned
with stopping murders but only with the protection Of
mines ranches and oil wells. Intentionally otherwise,
that attitude insults the United States Our view is that
tie American dollar is valuable and worth safeguarding,
but that American life is sacred It is primarily for the
protection Of the latter and only incidentally Tor the pro
lection of the former that intervention viii If 1t
Gen Obregon errs although he says he knows the
American people well, when he asserts that only few
people the United States want intervention and that
they are those who property to benefit 1t is fact
that very few Americans want intervention, but most OF
them believe It must come the only means OF putting
an end to ntoerable conditions which the Mexican govern
ment itself seems powerless to remedy
The general is right in placing the revolutionares
and plain bandits of Mexico responsibility for most Of the
crimes against foreigners He goes little far in clearing
the skirts OF all Carrancstas Of those crimes, for the
crimes against Americans committed by Carranza soldiers
Il is partial to take for granted that those acts
were perpetIated without official authorization by ire
spousibes whom the government has hard time holding
IN some semblance Of control
But even if all the antiforeign crimes were committed
BY bandits the that the Carranza government long
ago promised to put speedy end to ouawry if only the
United States would end the then existing embargo on
AIMS and ammunition shipments and supply the Mexican
federal government with the Of exteinatng the
bandits aHow be expected to put down Villa II
we have only half enough rifles and bullets for them?
was the plea. Experience has furnished the answer Inc
American government has allowed and ammunition
10 be supplied the Mexican federa only to find, little
later some Of the same arms and ammunition IN the
hands Of the bandits to be used, very likely in killing
foreigners well CaTrancsas any event strengthen
ing the resistance against the Carranza government The
federaIs have not Roadway against the bandits The
conditions which bad in Mexico two or three years
ago are as bad today They show prospect Of improve
ent Therein lies the strongest argument for interVen-
ton If the Mexican government and Cen Obregon can
show Us any way out they viii be given welcome hear
inq but soft generalities are useless
Gen Obregou IN his message makes plea for peace
and for harmony between the American and Mexican peo-
pes No Mexican can mote DESTROYS Of happy rela-
tionshp than the Americans and particularly those Of US
who live on the border Gen. Obregon has, Of course
peculiar interest peace and harmony like other border
residents on both sides. He is the garbanzO king OF
Sonorz and his GOD often worth millions year, handled
b Los Angeles business men But harmony and fuend-
ness cannot come Just by wishing for It It can't be