Evening star., 1923-10-24
WOULDRAzEFORTS
ON MEXICAN LINE
Bishop Tells President They
Are Constant Irritation to
Friendly Nation. >

Dismantling of all the United States
forts along the Mexican border was
recommended to President Coolidge
today by Bishop Wilbur P. Thirkield.
formerly president Of Howard Uni
versity, and now directing the
work of the Methodist churches in
Mexico. The bishop pointed out this
move would be a means of establish
ing better feeling among the people
of Mexico and assisting that republic
in its present period of reconstruc-
tion.
Bishop Thirkield has spent a num-
Der of years in Mexico. He stated that
there Is now an opportunity for the
United States to adopt a program of
peaceful penetration" and to make
the Mexican border of 1900 miles one
of confidence and peace. as is the
Canadian border, which is without a
fort or a soldier.
He said that there are now eleven
forts on the Mexican border, manned
by more than 5000 men and $50 off,
GERS. He suggested that the money
required to maintain these forts
could be used in establishing schol-
arShips to bring young men and
women from Mexico to American
universities.
Way Open to Help.
''The way to help Mexico Is to
give evidence that the United States
is sympathetic" Bishop Thirkield
said. 1.-THE removal OF these guns
along the border will do more to
establish peace between the two
countries than any active recogni-
tion. There is no reason to dis
trust the Mexicans. either as a ma
tion or a people, and If the intimi-
dating and provoking influences of
the military and the guns are re-
moved from the border there Is good
reason to believe that the moral ef-
feet would be a valuable balm of
popular amity."
Before his conference with the
President, Bishop Thirkield laid his
proposition before Secretary of War
Weeks. and, according to the bishop,
the latter impressed him as being
sympathetic. The bishop also con-
director of the Pan-American Union,
who assured him that he was in
hearty accord with the plan.
Need of Strong Envoy.
Bishop ThirkieId holds firmly TO the
conviction that our relations to
Mexico are of first international i'm
portance and that the ambassador to
that neighboTing country; now
years of revolution. should in char
acter and ability, craftsmanship and
diplomatic skill rank with any
representative of the United States
as ambassador to any country of the
world.
The recognition of Mexico came
through the superb service of the
commission appointed by the Secre-
tary OF State-statesmen and diplo-
mats of recognized experience and
confidence Of Mexico. They allayed
prevailing distruct and ironed out
misunderstanding of many years.
Now is the strategic time to bind
these republics in close and enduring
good will. From a more economic
point of view, this should be done for
Mexico is the richest, undeveloped
terrkpry of It's size in the world and
offers unmeasured possibilities of
trade with the United States Aside
from this, ii is time the United States
was showing itself the big brother to
our sister republic next door.
Bishop Thirkild said:
The United States should be big
and broad enough to show generoSi-
ty and the hand of help to Mexico.
Let the cost. say, of a single fort
be turned into scholarships. Let three
hundred or four hundred of the most
can youth be placed in the colleges
of the United States to be trained
in breadth Of vision and statesman
like views. Let them catch the spirit
of altruism and of unselfsh services.
This is the outstanding need of Mex
leo at this hour. trained men of
character and capacity, who can be
trusted. Thus we should uplift and
ennoble the life of a people and bind
to US Mexico, our neighbor next
door. with hooks of steel. The best
investment this country has made in
a generation was the return of the
Chinese Boxer indemnity and the
transmitting of this money into
scholarships for Chinese students.
II am convinced after careful study
that If the United States had estab-
lished and endowed one modern,
progressive university in Mexico
forty years ago the last revolution
might have been averted. Such would
have been our relations that we
would have saved the $3.50, 5000,
trade in the three years of watchful
waiting"
May Visit Hampton.
If President Coolidge can find time
to leave Washington for a day or so
in the near future, he probably will
visit Hampton Institute, at Hampton,
Va, which is one of the leading coll
ored educational institutions Of the
country. A formal invitation to visit
this school was rendered the Presi-
dent today by James Z. Gregg, prin-
cipal.
A committee representing the Theo-
dore Roosevelt Memorial Veterans s
a AdGnNin
today and invited him to participate
in the services to be held next Sat
urday night in the Metropolitan Me-
mortal Church in honor of the ami
versary of the birth of Theodore
Roosevelt and also as a formal OBJ
servance of Navy day. The President
took the matter under advisement.
Those with the delegation were: Gen.
Anton Stephan commanding the Dis
trict of Columbia National Guard: !:
G. A. r.; E. w. Denny, past depart
ment commander of the Massachusetts,
G. A. r.; Mrs. Isabel w. Ball, represent
ing the Women's Relief. Corps of the
G. A. r.; Paul Schneider of the Army
of the Theodore Roosevelt Post, Army
and Navy Union, and Rev. Harry
Mitchell, pastor of Metropolitan Me-
mortal Church. p.
fleet, today invited the President to
attend the foot ball game between
the Sd Army Corps and the scouting
fleet in Baltimore, Nd. November 10.
Others who saw the President today
were William NJ. Hoppin, assistant
attorney general in charge of Gus
toms; Michael Gallagher, coal opera
tor OF Ohio: w. A. Hartman of New
York; George w. Bean, republican
national committeeman from Florida;
Joe Mitchell Chappen, publisher;
Ralph d. Mass SaGpseary ., OF co the
merce: B. B.. James, president of the
Panama Celebration Association; Will
liam Noble of oklahoma; the execu-
tive board of the American Automo-