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Show B MEXICO BBB No President has ever had n frcor BBVB hand, no President has over had a BBpB fairer opportunity to develop his pol- BVB ley In foreign affairs unhampered by BBBJ 'intcrtorenco or criticism than Presl- BftBJ dent Wilson. In tho matter of our B&yfl dealings with Mexico this wns par- BBJ tlcularly and peculiarly truo. FiTr BBBJ months after tho country had becomo BBBj fairly well sat lulled that tho policy be- BBVB Ing pursued was radically wrong and H likely to lead to serious consequent BBWB es, judgment was suspended in tho BVB hopo that by somo chance tho out- H come might Justify tho extraordinary B&yB procedure that was followed. B I fcol qualllled to hear witness to BftyB theso facts, as I was ono of tho first B in tho House to call In question tho BBVB administration's dealings with Moxi. B co and to call attention to what seem- BBVB cd to mo tho Inovitablo outcomo ot B tho policy being pursued nnd my BBVH first statement In tho House on tho BftyH subject was on the 29th or February B 1913, almost a yoar nfter tho admin- BftBBj lstratlon assumed tho reins of gov- BBB ernment. Tho outcomo lias been BftBB) what I then believed it would bo BftBBj tho breaking down of nil strong and BBH rosponslblo authority In Moxloo, tho BftBBj iiprcnd and continuation of tho reign BftBBj of revolution, rnplno, murder and BBH misery throughout tho Republic . BBjBJ Thoso who wasto their sympathy BBBBj on tho administration and arc Inclin- BBB ed to coudono Its faults In tho hand- BBB ling- of foreign affairs should recall BftBB that tho administration's embarrass- BBB muntfl In our denllng with Mexico are BBB almost wholly of Its own making. BBB Thooo'who fondly una foolishly lm- BBpBB agfno that the monotonous repetition ibH ': : BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBtC-'vVattyS'? of the phrnso "Wilson has kept us out of war," l a complete nnswor to tho country's exasperated protest against the deep dishonor, tho fathomless fath-omless futility of tho course pursued, aro destined to havo n rudo awnken-Ing. awnken-Ing. Tho outrages and humiliations and losses suffered by Americans, the ramontiblo lowering of American prestlgo which cry out for vengeance and dcmandi reparation aro not tho noccsrnry or logical effects of the condition of revolution In Mexico, but tho Inevltnh'.o, the logical consequence of tho administration's faults and follies. fol-lies. The enly reason why wo havo not had war with Mexico Is becauso tho lluerta government had not the strength to attack us at Vera Cruz, nor Carranza suindent forco to follow fol-low up the war ho Inaugurated at Carrlzal. Tho administration began by Ignoring Ignor-ing and .spurning tho advice of our regularly accredited diplomatic and consular agents in Mexico and based -its policies on tho blasod nnd prejudiced preju-diced reports of secret and semi olll-clal olll-clal representatives ot tho President. On such advlco It adopted a policy ot hostility to tho strong government ot Huerta and of rank favoritism toward tho bandit nnd revolutionary forces, or dictating who alumni novcrn u..? whom should bo candidates for the Presidency of Atexlco. Tho administration admin-istration Intervened by forco of arms to prevent tho landing of ammunition for tho government In Moxlco which protected our citizens nnd Juggled ammunition embargoes to aid the factions fac-tions of lnwlcsrncss. Tho administration continued a policy of altcrnato binding and cajoling, cajol-ing, of coquetting and spurning first ono and then another bandit chle'aln until It had lost, tho confidence and respect of every forco nnd faction In Mexico. Tho administration Intervened Inter-vened by forco of nrms three distinct nnd separate times: First, In tho taking tak-ing of Vera Cruz; second, In tho transportation of Carranza troops ot-or ot-or our torrltoryj third, in tho late punitive expedition. Tho first cost us 17 American lives and the lowering lower-ing of tho flag at Vera Cruz unsa-luled. unsa-luled. Nineteen Americans paid with their lives at San Ysobel for our second se-cond Intervention, nnd no reparation or apology for It to this day. Tho massacro at Carrizal has passed into history unpunished. Tho administration has not at any tlmo boldly nnnounced nnd resolutely backed up a Ojemand for tho protection protec-tion of American citizens. On tho contrary, outrages against American citizens hnvo been overlooked, minimized, mini-mized, Ignored particularly in tho pursuit of tho President's personnl war against Huerta. In order to nvoid'tho possibility of tho Joining ot Huerta and constitutional troops nt Tnmplco several hundred of American Americ-an men, women nnd children worn abandoned, by tho sailing ot American Ameri-can Bhlps from that port on 'repented nnd peremptory ordors from Washington, Wash-ington, to tho mercy of an Infuriated Mexican mob, nnd only saved by the timely Intervention of German nnd English forces. No American who has followed tho course ot cvcntsln Mexico Mex-ico but has blushed with shamo and boiled with Indignation nt tho treatment treat-ment of our- citizens there, duo to tho wicked and Indofonslblo policy of our ndmlnlstrntlon, but for cold blond, cd nbaridonmcnt of citizens 1 n tho faco of tho most frightful danger this Incident at Tnmplco stands out tho crowning Infamy of tho wholo miser-nblo miser-nblo record. Hon. Frank W. Men-dell. Men-dell. B- ' |
