Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-06-08
THE MEXICAN QUESTION

THE MEXICAN QUESTION
There will be particular interest taken in not
ing what the Republican party platform has to
say about the Mexican question. The gossip
coming from Washington few days ago was to
the effect that the report of the senatorial COM
mittee on Mexico, headed by Senator Fall, of
New Mexico, would form the basis of the Mexi-
can plank in the Republican platform. We can
hardly believe that this is fact because that
report is in substance a recommendation that
the United States should intervene in Mexico
and garrison the entire country with United
States troops so as to keep open communica-
tions with every port city in Mexico unless the
Mexican people change their constitution and
laws in essential respects to meet the approval
of American and other foreign investors IN
Mexico Such a demand is not likely to be COM
piled with and the alternative according TO Sen
ator Fall, is the invasion of Mexico by an Amerl-
can army and the policing of all the avenues OF
transportation by American troops. Ihat would
be pleasing and much to the advantage OF Amer
lean citizens who have taken money they made
in the United States and used it to develop oil
wells and mines in Mexico and now find their
investments threatened with loss. Senator Fall
himself has admitted, we believe that he has
some money invested in Mexico, though he says
the amount is small. But small or large, there
is plenty of chance for an American citizen VINO
made his money in this country to invest 1t IN
oil or mines or any other sort of deveopment
work in that country. 1t is true that there is
no law to prevent him from taking his money
TO some foreign country to develop wealth abroad
if he thinks the dividends will be larger than
they would be at home But when the capital
diverted from home industry and development
is threatened with loss, it is certainly somewhat
nervy on the part of the foreign speculator to
demand that the taxpayers who kept their mon
ey at home should mortgage it by great tax
lew in order to rescue the investment abroad of
other citizens who could find no opportunity for
home investment tempting enough to suit them
This country has had it's fill of war lately. 10
undertake to police all Mexico would be task
which would cost the taxpayers of this country
billions of dollars before it was through. Once
embarked on such an enterprise it might well
be generation before we could ever get out of
the country without dishonor. The United
States wants no Mexican territory, and it wants
no responsibility for law and order in that un-
happy country. It would not be popular issue
or get the Republican party any votes to take up
that attitude so we will be somewhat surprised
if Senator Falls views get any support in the
Republican national platform. The chances are
that they will denounce the policy of this admin
istration in Mexico and view with alarm it's omis-
sions and commissions, but offer no construc-
tive policy to take its place. That is the easy
and obvious way out of it for politicians. Once
they commit themselves to an active and def
mite policy such as Senator Fall recommends,
they are on dangerous ground. The policy of
this administration has been to keep out of Mex
lean affairs as much as possible, while giving
what aid it can to any native move that has
promised stability and good order in Mexico.
It has been difficult at times to maintain that
policy and to teach the Mexcans that they can
not impose on our good nature too far or too
often But no one wants this country to occupy
Mexico. If we once did that God only knows
when we could honorably quit the country. Ger
tanly we could not do it until peace and good
| order was restored. That might very likely
take score of years.