Arizona republican., 1919-06-18
It Was American

We trust that the republicans in congress will not attempt to make the Invasion of Mexico partisan matter a basis of faut-findng with the secretary of war. There seems no need to hunt for hidden sinister reason for sending American troops across the border into Juarez on Sunday morning. There was sufficient plain provocation for it. the killing of an American soldier and the killing and woundlng of civilians was enough Such things had been incidental to every Mexican battle" that has been fought American border towns. That had submitted weakly to such outrages before no reason why this policy of weakness should be continued
 Whether not the secretary of had been appraised of the actual invasion" do not know. He four days earlier that the Americans would be in readiness for eventualities Whether the crossing of the line the mind of the sec retary as a contemplated eventuality is uncertain. But if he was ready to acquiesce in that in such cumstances as afterward presented themselves that was credtable to Mr. Baker. We state this the more cheerfuly since in the past have restrained pressons of admiration the official performances of the secretary.
 There is nothing the surface to raise sus- picon that the movement across the border was made in interest of Carranza- The shooting across the line from the direction of the villisas It was deliberate and wholly unnecessary the exgencies of the battle. Fl Paso was not on a line with the fire of either side.
 There was love between the Carranza gov ernment and the American government The former has been uniformly hostile and insulting to the It has resisted every friendly overture. It was plainly pro-German during the war. In the event of German success in Europe Mexico under Carrauzs would have been a continued menace to the United States It cannot therefore be suspected that this rn aid cior1, against any Mexican opposition to him.
 Angeles who the brains of the movement against Carranza is friendly to this country and We think, enjoys American confidence in a greater measure than any other Mexican leader of any fac ton. As to his associate Villa. that is another mat ter The order for his capture for which the punitive expedition was rdiculously begun and in which it so miseraby failed. has never been withdrawn. It may have been in the minds of the military of- ficals of the southern department that now had come time to execute that order While that would not perhaps have justified the crossing of the line it may account for the long pursuit by the cavalry of the fleeing villistas.
 Some criticism has been made of the invasion on the ground that Villa, now infuriated will take terrible revenge upon Americans whom he finds in his territory Doubtless he will; that will be only unfortunate We could not though purchase i'm
 
 of American citizens on this side of the line
 What was done last Sunday was what should have been done at the first and at every Mexican battle on the line American border towns. There would then have been some respect for American arms and much of the bloodshed and suffering of the last six years would have been avoided
 Ii is patent that the Mexican federal government cannot sustain itself in the north, if it can long do so anywhere Its hold is too precarious if it hangs on nothing but such adventitous epsodes.as that of last Sunday. If therefore American interests in Mex co are to be protected we must be prepared to take a longer step in Mexico. Even if we were disposed to do so we could not support a government there by making occasional raids from this side of the line at opportune moments.
 There need be no dispute aSl9ng Americans concerning what done last Sunday It was the only thing to be done and it was done well