Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-21
Senator Harding and Mexico

EOR nearly eight years Woodrow Wilson
has been subjected to hostile assaults
for having refused again and again to in
tervenc with the armed forces OF this coun-
try i'll Mexico to protect the lives and prop
erty of citizens of this country. Most OF
tnese assaults have proceeded from partisan
Republican sources, many of them having
been staged on the floor OF the United
States Senate under the leadership of Sen
ator Fall, OF New Mexico an outright in
teIventionist.
Now that Republican leaders feel con-
fident that they are soon TO be restored TO
power in the Federal government the atti-
tude of their presidential candidate upon
the question OF intervention has become one
OF sharp interest, and his utterances upon
the subject are being carefully analysed in
an effort to determine whether lie has in
mind fixed policy or whether he has
merely taken position with regard to Mex
leo designed to give comfort 10 all hands
without any definite commitment on his
part.
In one of his recent speeches, he declared
That Il shall not submit to any wrong
against any American citizen. with respect
10 either his life or his property by any
government" He added that he made that
statement in all solemnity, and continued:
III it particularly applies to Mexico the
application has been directed by the robbery
ana murder OF hundreds OF our own peo-
pie in that unhappy country"
This may mean q great deal, or it may
mean little or nothing. y more candid man
would have said plainly, If he meant it, that
The robbery and murder Of American cit
liens by Mexico would be proceeded against
with the armed forces of the United States
But MT. Harding prefers to take refuge in
less decisive stand. And if that were his
In
question, the country would be compelled to
remain in doubt as to exactly what he pro-
poses. Happily, the American Federation
or Labor recalls speech delivered by SEN
ator Harding in San Antonio. Tex. on jan
uary Is, 1915, which throws additional
light upon the mental attitude of the nomi-
nee toward Mexico. AS quoted by the fed
Grafton, this speech included the following:
The United States must never seek ter
ritorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT by force of arms
Certainly we don't want to use arms TO
wrest land from weaker neighbor But
there is destiny in the affairs OF nations
This was demonstrated at your Alamo and
again in the Civil War. The magnificent
resources OF Mexico will never he given to
mankind. and that country will never come
into its own until il is brought under the
civilizing influences of the American flag
How and when that condition will be
time but it is coming.
There is no sidc-stepping the issue in
That declaration II not merely advocates
Intervention Ill Mexico, but actually pro-
poses the bringing OF the country under the
cviiliZing influences of the American flag.
or course, Senator Harding was not the Re-
publican nominee a that time, and probably
did not dream OF being. but he was a SEN
ator OF the United States giving free express
sion in public address TO an apparently
confirmed conviction
In this connection ii has been commonly
reported that Senator Fall strongly adyo-
Gated the nomination OF Mr. Harding at Chi
cago, and after that had been brought
| about addressed an Endorsement of the Sem
a,or TO the Republicans committee. based pri.
marily. ii is said upon the Ohioian's Next
can views. II may be noted that the Fan
Endorsement has never been given official
publicity.
Failing 10 scare the President the
anthracite "vacatiOnstS" are returning IN
| work. Some time. perhaps. they will learn
| that the present occupant OF the White
| House cannot be swayed by threats oi,ber
| Of labor capital.
General Obregon. even with his constant
| bodyguard, can hardly hope 10 escape as.
] sassination. That is one of the concomi.
tants OF the Mexican Dresidencv