UNITED STATES AT WAR

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 146, 21 June 1916, Page 6

UNITED STATES AT WAR

The spectacle of the United States at war with Mexico is one calculated to stir the world. In other times than these, it would probably be welcomed, as heralding the day when at least one disturbing factor in the "Balkan problem" of the New World shall be swept out of existence. $ut coming as it does in a critical, perhaps the most critical, phase of the European war, this new struggle will be watched with far deeper interest; for it promises to affect the destinies of the Old World as well as of the New. Mexico, to use the graphic words of an Omaha paper, "is a third: rate nation on its last legs. As a military power it is a joke. As a power of any kind it is a joke. Four-fifths of its inhabitants can't read, three-fourths of them are chronically hungry, and there is hardly real food enough left in. the entire country 'to feed one Nebraska Democratic harmony banquet. Its commerce is gone, its industry in ruins, its agriculture sporadic . incidental and harried by a thousand roving, bands of thieves and'robbers. Such, is Mexico." This description suggests that the military task now before the United States is trifling. But there is the word of a Senator who says, "Mexico to-day has more field-guns than the United States,, and, I think, is better prepared with ammunition." If >Alexico as a power is a joke, the United States, with its 'population of a hundred millions, and its amazing wealth, is from the militaristic point of view an almost overwhelming tragedy. Mexico, for all its poverty, has, in the military sense, openly defied its colossal neighbour. The vast pacifist element in the United States, whose ideals are all essentially pacifist, fought what the Americans call "preparedness, propaganda tooth and nail till the Villa raid on Columbus, across the Texan border. Then was seen ■the fruit of too great trust in doctrine. Even the machine-guns that were on the spot did not work welL "Preparedness" became suddenly a popular cry ; and the. first steps were taken to swell -the regular army of the United States. Characteristically, the new organisation was modelled vupon the most modern lines, and the States is now nominally the possessor of a. regular army of an emergency strength of about 250,000, which of course is not yet available in full strength. But America, notwithstanding Its new legislation and the new spirit of which President Wilson has lately made himself an apostle, has been defied by Mexico.

Ostensibly America has offended by "invading" Mexico, in the sense that, with the permission of the Carranza Government, she sent a force into the country to assist in quelling the brigand Villa and his followers, and then did not comply with Mexico's stipulations as to the distance and time factors of the expedition. President Wilson, no doubt, took these matters into his own hands for Mexico's good, and for the sake of America's dignity. The "scuttling" of the United States Army buck to American soil at the bidding of a nation that cannot even select a Government without the mediation of half a dozen others would have been ridiculous and demoralising. The. past policy of the United Stales as to Mexico, the attitude of " watchful waiting," has been criticised- and derided by a host, of critics; but' President Wilson's nation does not know the feel of-the '•' big stick." Worse than that* U- h»« not » stick handy; and it baa ha&n teo busy bi late is ga out

and cut one. It has done Mexico no wrong that could not quickly be set right if Mexico was convinced that defiance would mean disaster; but she has not forgotten how she insulted the Stars and Stripes at Tampico and escaped the penalty. Carranza has long .been suspected of allowing his attitude to be modified by German interests. If the Allies are as dependent now upon i American army supplies as Germany has [in the past many times declared, a war involving the United States would be a great hindrance to them. Immense efforts havo been made by German agents in the States to interfere with the manufacture and export of munitions, and an engineered war with Mexico would be a i master-stroke in the same direction. If this is Germany's doing, the alarm has | been sounded at what appears an opportune time, for the shadows of coming events are clearly to bo seen, and they are ominous to Germany. But the German, may have miscalculated again. The Allies may not lose nearly as much by such a stroke of diplomacy as our ene- ] mies may expect. Apart from the inevitable effect, great or small, upon the American supply of monitions and food, the attitude of Americans towards the European war may undergo a marked change. Their interest now' is keen beyond all doubting, but- it is largely academic and sentimental. War with Mexico, instead of aJieiiating their interests, may bring them into closer touch with the tragedy of Europe; and if Germany's hand is shown in the American war, the outcome is likely to add to instead of decreasing the troubles which the Kaiser has brought down upon his head.