CHAPTER X

THE NEW AMERICAN POLICY APPLIED TO

MEXICO

The revolution in Mexico gave the most unfavorable opportunity for the application of an idealistic policy, since belligerents do not exalt the Golden Rule above the sword. However, there is a certain kinship and bond of sympathy among all the Latin-American states, and the new Pan-American policy was to include Mexico as well as the others. Therefore, its application under such unusual circumstance makes an interesting chapter in American history.

Mexico, a mediaeval nation ruled by an absolute monarch, called President, after the custom of the Western Hemisphere, existed side by side with the United States, a modern nation that had prospered under constitutional government. Such were the conditions in 1910 when President Diaz felt his power crumbling away over smouldering fires due to uncivilized outrages committed against liberty in the name of liberty.

The people of Mexico had suffered most from two great evils. First, a few landholders owned in vast estates, the greater part of the land of Mexico, and held a large part of the population in a state little better than

that of slavery. A kind of feudalism existed in which state the non-landowning class was little superior to the serfs and villains of the Middle Ages. Second, the national resources of the country were exploited by foreigners, who had bought privileges and monopolies of one kind and another from the President and who expected their native country to protect them in the enjoyment of their purchased rights.

In 1910 Francisco Madero, leader of a great reform movement to restore representative government and free the masses from a state of slavery, became a candidate for the Presidency against Porfirio Diaz. To become a vigorous candidate against the Absolute was considered in itself an act of treason, and Madero was thrown into jail. However, the secret longings of the people for a change (they did not know what liberty was), for relief from conditions that would have been intolerable in a free country, gave the reform movement an enthusiasm which very naturally broke into an insurrection and later into a revolution. Madero in the meantime was liberated. By May, 1911, the storm had become so threatening that President Diaz abdicated and fled to Europe. Madero was the man of the hour, and in October following he was elected President with little opposition.

But the calamities and the unremedied wrongs of one long rule could not be remedied by the abdication of one man. A revolution had begun that was to shiver the

nation from the Presidency to the lot of the stolid peon in remote and forgotten districts. Moreover, Madero was not a wise president, and the military chiefs, resembling the feudal barons of the Middle Ages, began a reign of terror that was to break up the nation into groups of bandits, each of which was struggling for supreme power, while the masses were robbed and starved, outraged and even massacred, in the name of liberty.

Madero's administration was short. In October, 1912, Feliz Diaz, nephew of the ex-President, organized a revolution, was captured and thrown into prison. Later he escaped and appeared at the capital with a large army. In February, 1913, General Victoriano Huerta, Commander in Chief of the Madero forces, deserted his leader, led his army into the capital, forced Madero to resign, threw him into prison, and a few days later permitted him, with a few of his loyal supporters, to be assassinated. Then Huerta was proclaimed President by his army, and the first hope of a constitutional government for Mexico was destroyed. Such were the conditions prevailing in Mexico on March 4, 1913, when Woodrow Wilson became President of the United States.

The revolution had been in progress more than two years when President Wilson was inaugurated. Like his predecessor in office, however, he was determined to keep hands off if possible and let the contending forces fight it out alone. Therefore, his first act was one looking to neutrality. Two days after his first pronouncement he

asked Congress for the authority to prohibit the sale of war munitions to all factions. In taking this step, he declared: "I shall follow the best practice of the nations in the matter of neutrality. We cannot in the circumstances be the partisan of either party to the contest that now distracts Mexico, or constitute ourselves the virtual umpire."

However, he had already declared that "we can have no sympathy with those who seek to seize the power of government to advance their own personal interests and ambitions." Therefore, he refused to recognize Huerta, the dictator, or any other faction until he could secure better information as to the conditions surrounding the de facto government.

Moreover, he was equally determined to convince the Latin-American Republics that this nation is the friend of constitutional government; that it will treat with all republics of this hemisphere on a plane of equality; that it will never again seek additional territory by conquest; that it will not lend the offices of this government to promote illegal business interests in foreign countries, and that it will not aid or encourage revolutionists or revolutions in any of the Latin-American states. He was now to be put to the test. His policies were being gradually unfolded and he was steadfast in his conviction that "the steady pressure of moral force will before many days break down the barriers of pride and prejudice, and we shall triumph as Mexico's friend sooner than

we could triumph as her enemy-and how much more handsomely, with how much higher and finer satisfaction of conscience and of honor!"

It appeared, however, that the revolution might involve the United States in complications due to lawless acts on the part of all the contending parties. Moreover, European nations held tremendous business interests in Mexico, and, through outrages against foreigners, the Monroe Doctrine might become involved. Therefore, President Wilson sent Mr. John Lind, ex-Governor of Minnesota, his "personal spokesman and representative to the City of Mexico." It should be stated here that the acts of the American Ambassador to Mexico were not entirely satisfactory to Mr. Wilson. Therefore, Mr. Lind was sent to Mexico, with instructions to press very earnestly upon the attention of those who were exercising authority or wielding influence in Mexico the following considerations and advice:

"The Government of the United States does not feel at liberty any longer to stand inactively by while it becomes daily more and more evident that no real progress is being made towards the establishment of a Government at the City of Mexico which the country will obey and respect.

"The Government of the United States does not stand in the same case with the other great govern