The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1814. THE SITUATION IN MEXICO.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1993, 25 February 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1814. THE SITUATION IN MEXICO.

It has become increasingly clear that outside inte'rvention in Mexico is unavoidable, and that if the United States will not take effective action to restore and maintain order the other Powers who have interests at stake cannot remain much longerpassive onlookers. Tho execution of Mr. Benton, a British subject, and the disappearance of four Americans, who are'believcd to have suffered a similar fate, will probably force the hand of the United States.; .notwithstanding President Witsos's' unwillingness to create a situation which would entail the risk of war. He .has all along resisted the demand for armed intervention ia Mexican affairs, but recent happenings will no doubt result in very strong pressure being brought to bear on the Washington authorities either to take prompt and resolute action themselves, or at least to stand aside and allow tho other nations concerned to adopt measures far the protection of the lives and properties of their own people. In reply to a question in the House of t'onimmis the Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Office said the continued fighting in Mexico is causing the greatest prejudice to British and other commercial interests, but, although it is a matter of grave concorn, British intervention would bre futile and impolitic. This leaves the matter irt a most unsatisfactory grigfe tiOn as it discloses no way of redSS' whatever. But tho matter is carried a little further by Sin Edward Grey's statement that ho has. communicated with the United States Realise that nation alone can exercise influence over Mexico and get justice done. The trouble is that the United States lias so far abstained from exercising its. influence ifi a sufficiently forceful manner to bring order out of the present chaos. The talk of intervention raises a?' number of questidns. regarding the effect of the Monroe Doctrine, this' , aspect of the difficulty, is referred id,

by the Lyndon Morning Post- when it asserts that it is incumbent on President Wilson soon to announce his plan for.obtaining security for the lives, and property of foreigners or to declare that the Monboe Doctrine and the policy of the United States are not opposed to other .countries taking action to secure the welfare of their own subjects. Britain has been getting tired of Prgsipekt Wilson's policy of ''watchful waiting,"-and the execution of Mn. Benton is causing an imperative demand for much more effectual action, In America also public opinion is beginning to take the view that intervention cannot be avoided. Ths New York Tribune, for instance, admits that the attitndc of neutral moral pressure, which "promised so well at the outset/"' has now "failed to do its work," and will probably have to be modified. Some papers suggest that a conference should take place between the United States .and the other Powers concerned, in order to reach some understanding as to the best method, of dealing with the situation, and it is contended that such a- step would, not be an infringement of the Monp.oe Doctrine. As a matter of fact, there is a good deal of uncertainty regarding the modern applications of this famous doctrine. Senator Bor.AH recently stated that there was a time when it had a definite meaning, "but its modem additions, and, what is worse, its modern possibilities, leave us in doubt and' every Central American country in dread." He also declared that as a result of this uncertainty the standing of the United States with the other countries of the American Continent was greatly ia peril, and he urged that a definite line of foreign policy ought to be laid down. The history of Mexico during the past few years discloses a state, of affairs which is a disgrace to civilisation, and things now appear to be going from bad to worse, the authority of President Madero's Government was challenged in February, 1013, and after some, sharp fighting Gbkeral Huekta proclaimed himself President, M-ukro being shot on his way to prison. The new President was subsequently. recogfiisod by. Britain, but _ Washington has all along persisted in ignoring his right to thq position he occupies. Towards the end of. April another insurrection broke' out in the northern part of the country under the leadership of the Constitutionalist Gkxerals Carrasza and Villa, the latter being responsible for tile execution of Ml'., BtiXtun. .. The struggle between the opposing forces; has continued up to the present time, and has been characterised by frequent outbursts of savagery. The whole country is in a state of utter anarchy, and no man's lifts or property is safe, Appeals have been made to several European Powers to do something to end the turmoij, but up to the present it seems to have- been generally understood that the matter must hp left in the hands of the United States, though Washington has been very slow to act. Whether the outcry caused by the execution of Mr. Bk.vtox and the disappearance of the four Americans will lead to decisive measures remains to be.seen, but it seems certain that outside interference from some quarter must take place sooner or later, This is clearly recognised by Dn. Hanmis Taylor, an American authority on international law, who states that only ■the blind or the infatuated can believe that if nothing is done by Ihe United States to aid in the restora-tion'-of order "the European nations will, continue to bow for ever to an ovoriordship in the New World which declares at once its supremacy and its impotency."