The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1916. AMERICA AT WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2802, 21 June 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1916. AMERICA AT WAR

Mexico's declaration of war on the United States will be welcomed at Berlin. It is said that German intrigue has been responsible for Mexico taking this step, and no doubt there is some truth in the oharge. But German intrigue would have been of little avail but for two things: first, the bitter hatred >of the American people by the Mexicans, due largely to American interference with the internal affairs of Mexico, and, secondly, the peace-at-any-price-too-proud-to -fight policy of President Wilson, which has brought the American Government into disrespect throughout the whole world. The Mexican people as a people not only hate the Americans, but they have been encouraged by President Wilson's policy to despise them. That the Mexicans will be made to pay dearly for the step they have now taken is certain: but the United States will also find i.this war that has come upon it a costly matter both in the lives of its citizens and in the financial burden it will entail. Before touching upon that phase of the situation wnich most, concerns Britain and her Allies, we may briefly refer to matters leading up to tho breach which has now occurred between" the two great North American Republics. The friction is of longstanding, and has been accentuated in recent times ,by the interference of President Wilson, who, in conjunction with the Governments of the South American Republics, declared for Carranza as President of Mexico. It is this Oamunza and his Government who have now declared war on' the United States. Following on the decision to recogniso Carranza's Government came the raid on the American frontier town of Columbus by Villa, Carranza's rival for tho Mexican Presidency, and the murder of American citizens. An American punitive expedition was sent into Mexico in pursuit of Villa and his bandits, and although Carranza offered no strong objection to this at the time, he made_ it clear that he preferred to do his own police work. All classes of Mexican opinion bitterly resented the invasion of their territory by American troops, and the different factions, which have been cutting one another's throats and keeping the. country in a state of disorder and bloodshed for years past, began to draw together, actuated for the first time for many years by a common hatred. Carranza, no doubt sensing the feeling of his countrymen, and fearing that one or other of his rivals might supplant him by calling on the nation to rise against the invader, demanded the. withdrawal of the American force. Negotiations followed. President Wilson refused to recall the American troops, but submitted proposals for a better understanding as to tho policing of the frontier, between the United States and _ Mexico. Even while theso negotiations were proceeding, bands of crossed the frontier at various points, raiding and plundering American towns, and in some cases Killing United States soldiers and murdering United States citizens. The negotiations failed, and v now Mexico has declared war on her powerful neighbour.

Although tho population of Mexico is only 15,000,000, as against the 90,000,000 of the United States, tho smaller country is for the moment the better prepared for war. Her people have been fighting o_ne another for so long that they are all more or less trained to the use of arms. Their actual forces in' the field total about 60,000, whereas tho United States has a nominal army of about 70,000. Mexico, however, has no navy, and her ports are practically undefended. The whole of her external trade can be immediately crushed, and her supplies of arras and warlike material from outside can be at once cut off. Her own ordinance and munition works are small, and_ she could not maintain an army in the field for any length of time. -But Mexico is. not likely to fight pitched battles with large forces, Her plan will no doubt be to pursue a system of guerilla warfare, and at this class of fighting her troops will be difficult to bring to book. American military experts have expressed (he opinion that it would take half a million' men and five years' time to conquer Mexico; but thero is little doubt that the country can be crippled, its ports captured, and its trade ruined in a very little tini:s. The guerilla bands may still roam the interior, but it may be found that America will be content to dominate the situation by holding all the principal ports and centres aasy of access from the coasts, and allow time and the shortage of supplies to d« the rest. The war. in fact.

after its first fierce blaze of fury, may gradually fizzle out, owing to America securing the control of tho country's chief resources. The unprcparedncss of the United States, however, it will be felt in the early stages, and will prevent that decisive action on a big scale which might bring a speedy end -to the I struggle. ._ The question of how far this war is going to affect Britain and her j Allies in the greater struggle in Europe is of importance. America I has supplied enormous quantities i-f war material of various kinds to the Allies, and naturally it would be expected that if America herself is engaged in a war with Mexico sho will require tho output'of her factories ; and munition works for hor own purposes. At first sight it might appear 'that this new development, which is attributed to German intriguo, .would seriously prejudice the Allies. It is doubtful, however, whether it will have anything like the effect hoped for by our enemies. Indeed, it may have no harmful effect at all. The output of munitions in the United States has grown to enormous dimensions > as the_ result of tho demands of the Allies, but at the same time Britain, France, and Russia have multiplied their own output to an extent that almost transcends belief. Some weeks ago one' of the members of the British Government, referring to this matter, stated that the increase in the output in Britain had been so great that he hoped soon to be able to say that they were eib tirely independent of outside sources of supply. It is plain, therefore, that the demand on America has ac least greatly lessened. The United States Government has its own munition, works, it has a comparatively small army, and will requiro a comparatively small quantity of munitions for a war on the scale that the struggle with Mexico will Involve. It may bo taken for then, that the American manufacturers of munitions will still have a substantial surplus leyond the needs of their own Government to dispose of to the Allies; and this surplus, together with (lie increased output of the Allies (including the immense quantities produced in Japan) should fully meet all future needs. Germany, therefore, will gain little, if anything, from embroiling tho United States with America. On the other hand, she stands'to lose what little sympathy remained with her among the American people. .Even those Americans who for various reasons may have espoused her cause as against that of the Allies may be expected to resent the plotting and intrigue which has plunged their country into a useless war likely to cost the lives of many thousands of American citieens. It may be urged that Germany, knowing that America now has her hands full with Mexico, might feel that there is no longer any occasion to heed American protests against her submarine atrocities, and thus be encouraged to start anew her campaign of piracy and murdei'. This, of course, is a possibility, but. while thousands of tons of the finest German merchant shipping shelter in American ports the United States has a very potent weapon with which to strike Germany should occasion arise; and in addition to this, tho moral influence alone of the Unitod States casting in her lot with the Allies, ■ even if she never sent a single soldier to their aid, would ho- too tremendous a factor for the German Government to face. Our enemies, in fact, are not likely to .profit in any material way from the new situation which has arisen in North America.' Tho outcome may, indeed, prove quite the reverse.