The border vidette., 1929-04-13
MERELY ExAsPERATiNo

So far as American relations
are concerned, there is nothing
approaching a crisis in Mexico.
II is exasperating, of course. for
Americans to dodge bullets that
come across the international
line and bombs dropped too care
lessly from up in the sky and
intended for the other side of
the barbed wire fence. And it
Is q bit antagonistic of the ma
tional government to ignore Ari.
zona's request that there be no
troop movement across the state.
But those things are only some.
thing for Arizona to worry about
Within the spirit and the let.
ter OF international law. the
United States has been of con
siderable aid to the Portes Gil
government, or, as the opposi
ton calls IL. the Gales govern
ment. Long before there was q
revolution we had recognized
that government. and, regard
less Of what our sympathies may
be, we must maintain that recog
milton until Portes Gil gives us
q reason for not doing so. A
friendly government is entitled
to purchase war supplies in this
country. A rebel organization
is not. A friendly government
may be granted permission to
move its troops across our coun.
try. the individual states being
willing. No such consent can
l.be given to rebels.
It soshappens in this case that
practically all of the border is in
rebel hands and we are there
fore prone here to look upon the
rebels as q defacto government.
Many Of the Americans in the
Southwest are in SYMPATHY with
the rebel movement. But the
fact remains that Portes Gil still
occupies Cnapultepec castle. His
administration has done nothing
that can be construed as hostile
to the United States.
Thialmeans that the United
States, so far az the actual fight
ing is concerned, is q neutral.
So far as diplomacy is concern
ed. she can recognize only the
Mexican federals. And that is
the stand she has taken. Even
the movement of the troops
across Arizona. so long as they
were unarmed, was technically
legal. They were simply de
portee" and they were sent
across at Naco instead of at
Juarez on the theory that Juarez
was now in rebel hands and the
United States did not want to
turn 800 men over deliberately
to the adobe wall.
These things do not ease the
situation for Arizonans on the
border particularly, but it is only
one of Arizona and not of inter
national law. The coming of 18
l'army airplanes to guard the
border may end that. If it
doesn't then the problem be
comes Americas, not our. In
the meantime. there is no inter
national diplomatic situation of
major proportions that needs to
worry either country.
But what sort Of trick are ma
tional authorities playing on Ari
zona? Friday Secretary of State
Stimson assured Governor Phil
lips that the Mexican govern.
ment had not. asked permission
for troops to cross Arizona and
that if it did the permission
would not be granted without
the governors consent. That
same night troop train with
800 unarmed federal soldiers left
Ell Paso for Naco. Army Off
cials explained that the men
were no longer in their custody,
that their return to Mexico was
a deportation" by the immigra
tion authorities.
Which leaves the United States
government in an embarrassing
position if the governor wants
an explanation. Whether it be
deportation or military aid to a
friendly government, the return
of 800 soldiers has its interna
tional scope and comes withir
the scope Of the state depart
ment. The head of that depart
ment has made q promise to q
sovereign state. A more or less
independent bureau has violated
it. And Arizona is left holding
the bag.
| Tk0 ornknvk 80 khnk fhn ~ a .