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Show THE CITIZEN 7 OUTLA WED IT was in July, 1920, that the dis- pute between the United States and Mexico began to grow more acute. There had been raids across the border by Mexican bandits ana several Americans of distinction had Deen arrested and held for ransom. The people of the United States were becoming more indignant every day, but their country having entered the League of Nations they were restrained from declaring war immediately, although the vast majority favored intervention. Owing to the sudden death of fifteen United States treaty had been adopted without reservations and the League of Nations was now in full operation. Seeing the danger of war the Council of the League, at Geneva, decided to take the dispute out of the hands of the United States and Mexico, if possible. Its authority was clear under Article XI of the covenant, which was as follows: Any war or threat of war, whether immediately affecting any of the members of the League or not, is hereby declared a matter of concern to the whole League, and the League shall take any action that may be deemed wise and effectual to safeguard the peace of nations. became Congress a resolution was passed calling upon the president to apply for the withdrawal of the United States from the League. The country was in a state of tense excitement and the pressure of public opinion was such that President Wilson was inclined to heed the request of Congress. At this crisis, however, the Council at Geneva sent a courteous note to the president, through the American delegate, informing him that in accordance with Article XVI of the covenant Mexico had been invited to become a member of the ' League for the purposes of the dispute and pointing out that the United States could not withdraw from the League until it had fulfilled its international obligations. There was much controversy in this country as to whether the Council had the right to decide when the United States had fulfilled its international obligations, but inasmuch as i there could be no withdrawal, in any event, within two years and inasmuch as the Mexican crisis was sure to come to a climax much earlier than that Congress decided to abide by the decision of the Council. IMMEDIATELY - . DURING in the controversy and Japan had Europe turned strongly against the United States. The Americans were described as welchers and contemptible quitters." , Every effort was made by means of publicity sent out from Washington to impress upon the world the true naIt was pointed ture of the dispute. out with constantly reiterated emphasis that the Mexican government was not able to control its own people, that the offenses on the border were By F. P. Gallagher continuous and that they would be kept up during the Councils consideration of the question. A T this juncture President of Mexico Carran-z- a eagerly accepted membership in the League of Nations for the purposes of the dispute. Although he had declared his determination to keep iiis country out of the League he now saw a chance to catch the United States in a trap and he ostentatiously accepted the Councils proposal. In a communication expressing the highest motives he dwelt upon the difficulties of maintaining order during revolution and called attention to the fact that Mexicans had been murdered and even lynched in the United States. He promised to do all he could to restrain the bandits in northern Mex- The advocates of the League in the United States attempted to console the rest of the population by pointing out that, the decision must be unanimous, that,, at worst, there would be only a disagreement and that, in such a case, the United States could declare and wage war on Mexico legally,' according to the terms of the covenant. On November 10, 1920, the whole country was thrown into a ferment by the announcement that the decision was unanimously against the United States. Belgium and Greece had held out for a short time, but had been constrained to make the vote unanimous because, at that time, they were asking a number of concessions from the League of Nations. . or personal intercourse between the nationals of the covenant breaking state and the nationals of any other state, whether a member of the League or not. It shall be the duty of the Council in such case to recommend to the several governments concerned what effective military or naval force the members of the League shall severally contribute to the armed forces to be used to protect the covenants of the League. DESPITE the decision the clamored for war on Mexico and they were further infuriated when an American official delegation, en route from Mexico City on the Mexican Central railway, was taken from the train ' and ' shot to death by Villas brigands. That very day Congress declared war and General Pershing began the in decision the invasion of Mexico with 200,000 men. THE outcry against ico. There was .terrific, country Meantime a large' army had been' staceased to bandits the were mutual recriminations, but the tioned along the Canadian border at say, Strange and almost their activities consensus of opinion was that this strategical points. There were many instantly the European and Japanese journals country could not, in honor, accept deaths in this army because of the began to indulge in extravagant praise the decision and thereby permit the rigors of the coldest winter in years. of Carranza and his government. Mexicans to kill and rob our people President Carranza, at this juncture, when they went south of the Rio made formal demand on the League RTICLE XII and XVII reveal the Grande. of Nations for protection. He demonmode of procedure provided for Soon after the decision was promulstrated, that Mexico, as a member of refollowed covenant the and were the by by gated the Mexican outrages the League, even though for the purwere seized sumed. Three Americana League: poses of this single dispute only, was is the invitation If such accepted, by bandits and held for ransoms, entitled to the protection of the guarprovisions of Articles XII and XVI, inwhich were paid. antees contained in Article X. He clusive shall be applied with such Meantime President Carranza had declared that the United States was modifications as may be deemed necinformed the Council that Mexico at war with the other members of the essary by the Council. If there should arise between would abide strictly by the terms of League by the very fact that it had members of the League any dispute the favorable decision and would do gone to war in violation of the Counlikely to lead to a rupture which is all in its power to maintain law and cils decision and he demanded that not submitted to arbitration the memseized A he few days later the United States be declared an outbers of the League agree that they order. Amerito will submit the matter to the Counall the oil wells belonging law nation in conformity with the cil. cans, but left the British in the posterms of the covenant. The Council may in any case undisAt Geneva the Council met to conder this Article (Article XV.) refer session of their fields. When he solhis covered mistake, The to that, by the Assembly. the dispute sider what should be done. It was reat so the be field a referred shall owned had seized diers jointly clear, under Article X, that the dispute quest of either party to the dispute, by one American and a number of was required to preserve as provided that such request be made Englishmen he turned the field back League within fourteen days after the subagainst external aggression the terrisame to About the the Englishmen. mission of the dispute to the Countorial integrity and existing political cil. time bandits captured the independence, of all members of the American owner, who happened to be League, and it was equally clear that to the inflamed state of in the Tampico region, and killed Mexico was OWING in legally a member until Europe Congress saw him. A companion who escaped dethe dispute should be settled. the peril of submitting the question of clared that Carranza soldiers in uniborder warfare to foreign arbitration. form had participated in the murder. once Europe began to divide After much debate it was decided that on the question. Japan was. for there would be no appeal to the Asto the decision and active war on the United States and sembly and that the matter would be ACCORDING of the covenant the declared that according to the coveleft in the hands of the Council. United States would be an outlaw nanant the Council was required immeOn representation of the American tion if it were to war against Mexico. diately to provide for military and nadelegate the Council agreed to expeIf we disregarded the covenant we val action against the United States dited the settlement, but rather curtly would commit an act of war against because the United States was now pointed out that i had six monhs in Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan an outlaw nation at war with the which to deliberate. Our delegate citand the other members of the League League and because it was already ed the continuing nature of the ofand, automatically, we would be subinvading Mexico. fenses, but the Council said that the Meantime the economic boycott state of quiet which existed on the jected to the pressure of the economic boycott. went into effect. All the countries of border was a good omen for the fuArticle XVI of the covenant was cit- Europe and Asia ceased to trade with ture. ed as follows: the United States. No foreign ships By merely becoming a member of Should any member of the League entered our ports, even little Cuba the League for the adjustment of a to war in disregard of its coveresort single dispute Mexico was able to nants under Articles XII, XIII, or XV, being compelled by the covenant to shield itself from intervention and it shall ipso facto be deemed to have turn against us. Our warships had now seized all the punishment by the United States. The committed an act of war against all of the League, which Mexican ports of any magnitude on League thereby became the protector other members undertake hereby immediately to the east and west coasts and had esof Mexico. to severance of all it the subject submarine bases. The as or financial relations,. the prohi- tablished The American delegate, provided trade bition of all intercourse between their number of warships required for these by the covenant, was not given a vote nationals and the nationals of the operations had greatly weakened our in the council on a question in which covenant breaking state, and the prehis own country was involved. (Continued on Page 15.) vention of all financial, commercial . . . . so-call- ed AT |