Evening star., 1920-03-24
MR.. M0RGENTHAU'S
SELECTION MEANS
NOMEX|CAN CLASH
Shows President Not to
Withdraw Recognition
of Carranza.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Nomination Of Henry Morgenthau
to be the American ambassador to
Mexico constitutes the final assurance
that unless some untoward act. not
now foreseen. arises to disturb the
friendly relations between the United
States and Mexico, there will be no
military Intervention under the Will
son administration in the affairs of
the southern republic or withdrawal
Of recognition of the Carranza gov
ernment based upon the record OF
what has happaned thus far.
The Presidents appointment Of a
successor 10 Ambassador Fletcher is
his answer to ethe activities of the
Senate subcommittee investigating
Mexican affairs. which has been pre-
sided over BY Senator Fall Of New
the campaign, which had obtained
sympathetic consideration inside the
Department OF State, to withdraw
recognition from the Carranza gov
ernment by resolution Of ConRress.
II Is true that Secretary Lansing,
recognition of Carranza, had gotten
more or less out of patience with the
actions of the Mexican government in
various disputes pending with the
United States, and that Ambassador
Fletcher. too. felt that all that could
pc done with dignity and honor had
been attempted by the American en-
bassy at Mexico City to no avail.
Mr.. Fletcher's Services.
Mr.. Fletcher had been ambassador
to Chile and brought with him to
Mexico City not only a fluent COM
mand Of the Mexican language, but a
knowledge of Latin American affairs
that made 1t possible for him to get
firm grasp on the situation in a
short time. He had many personal
conferences with President Carranza
and performed a delicate task in the
period OF Americas participation in
the European war. when it was par
ticularly desirable to keep the Ger
mans from using Mexico as base
for intrigue or pernicfous activity in
Mexican affairs that might bring on
war with the United States and
divert the flow of men and supplies
to Europe.
When the war was ended the Presi-
dent was either In Paris or too absorbed
while in Washington in the larger af-
fairs Of the league of nations to bother
ters drtfted on until the Senate sub
committee took an active interest in
the situation, seeking by publicity not
exactly to bring about intervention as
SO many people have supposed. but to
obtain a withdrawal of the recognition
the United States had extended to the
Carranza government. Even IL the
plan failed. it was thought the moral
influence Of the investigation would
promote a healthier regard for the
lives and properties of American citi-
zens, especially in the vexatious oil
controversy.
President Upset Plans.
There is some reason to believe that
both Secretary Lansing and Amabssa-
operate with the Senate committee as
to give the impression that they be-
lieved their own hand in diplomacy
would be strengthened thereby in
dealing directly with the Carranza
government. But President Wilson
cline to countenance any cooperation
between Secretary Lansing and the
Senate committee looking toward a
withdrawal of recognition, and Incl
dentally considered the Jenkins case
a rather fiimsy pretext for interna-
tional strife. but he accepted Ambas-
sador Fletcher's resignation without
SO much as a word Of appreciation for
the many and trying months he had
spent in wrestling with the Mexican
situation both in Mexico City and
Washington.
President Wilson simply closes the
book on the past. ignores the talk
about withdrawing recognition and
sends to Mexico City a new ambassa-
dor, a man who has won distinction
in the European field of diplomacy
and a personal friend besides. So far
as the 1920 campaign is concerned,
Mr.. Wilson Is no more disturbed about
the Mexican question os an issue than
he was in 1916. when the Carrizal
affair served to infiame public opinion
and develop more acute interest than
the subject arouses today.
To have withdrawn recognition. on
the other hand, might have been a
confession of wrong in the first place.
and laid the Wilson administration
open to another charge of inconsist-
ency in the Mexican situation. Now
the Wilson people will continue to
insist that the United States Is mere
ly giving a struggling republic an op-
portunity to work out the policy of
self Discrimination. and that the Ave
years that have elapsed since recog-
milton was extended in 1915 is a brief
f,~o--iuued on Tar.. t'nh,mi, ~