File No. 711.12/132
I am confidentially informed that “Renato” is the pseudonym of the local
postmaster.
[Enclosure—Translation]
Editorial from “Los Sucesos”, Vera Cruz, July 25,
1918
WOODROW WILSON
In a world-wide investigation through the medium of the auxiliary
language, Esperanto, a Dutch friend asked us not long ago who, in
our opinion, was the greatest contemporary figure, and without any
hesitation we answered, “Woodrow Wilson!” And in our judgment this
man of rare virtues is one who merits this opinion on our part,
since he is one of the most discussed, most admired, and most
misunderstood personalities. Wilson is a revolutionist who, without
boasting of it, has put into practice many of the theories which are
opposed to the routine of the politics of spoliation. With a few
strokes of the pen we shall mention some of his best-known deeds
which taken together show his exalted views.
In the moments of most importance for our democratic future, Wilson,
in an impulse of just indignation caused by the cowardly
assassinations of Huerta, and putting aside diplomatic
conventionalism and compromises, solemnly promised never to
recognize that government born of crime and perfidy. That at first
sight does not appear to be a thing of significance, but analyzing
it in detail, we see that a large share of civil valor is needed to
face the cruel satires of the paid press and appear isolated in the
concert of European rulers that almost ipso
facto pressed the hand of the cher et
grand ami which was still wet with blood. How much abuse
Wilson endured on the part of the imperialists of his own country
and the European lambs of Panurge! Mad, stupid, and even criminal,
they would not say he was less. There was no peace in Mexico because
of him. Huerta did not change this into a paradise because of him.
Brigandage increased because of him.
At first Huerta made light of the non-recognition on the part of
Wilson, but when, for lack of that requisite, his loan in Europe was
a failure, his salaried press, that vainglorious press, or, rather,
our press without shame, vomited abuse against the American
President. He was declared the putative father of the “bandit
traitor,” Carranza, who had sold his country—oh, misguided and
betrayed country!—and Huerta was declared a Huitzilopoxtli (God of
War) with dark glasses who was saving it from the hands of the
Gringos.
The revolutionists could not strengthen themselves in towns of
importance, because the “30–30’s” were powerless against the
artillery. Then Wilson agreed to the raising of the embargo on arms
on the frontier and the first cannon, which we might call Liberty
cannon, could pass. The two opposing armies were now fighting hand
to hand.
Huerta, powerless then to check the pressure of the revolution, in
one of his drunken carousals conceived the diabolical idea of
provoking war with the United States to arouse an excess of
patriotism on our part and of throwing himself into a fraternal
embrace with the First Chief. As an immediate result came the
occupation of Vera Cruz, which was not with the idea of conquest, as
was proven by the fact that the city was delivered to the First
Chief without the collection of a single cent and without the
exaction even of the famous salute to the flag of the Stars and
Stripes.
Then came the Villista schism, and Wilson, in his role as friend of
the Mexican people, in order to recognize some one of the factions
in the dispute, appealed to a kind of plebiscite, which showed that
Constitutionalism was the only one which had cohesion and
discipline, and recognized that party as the de
facto Government.
Villa, enraged like Huerta, tried in his turn to provoke a conflict.
He held up a train in Chihuahua, forced 16 unarmed Americans to
alight, and with an inconceivable cannibalism, assassinated them in
cold blood. In spite of the terrible excitement of his people,
Wilson remained calm, trusted in the First Chief, and was satisfied
with asking the punishment of those who were guilty.
This plan having failed. Villa tried another. He went to Columbus to
burn, assassinate, and sack. The situation became unbearable for
Wilson, who saw himself unavoidably obliged, now that he was the
“bandit-protector,” to send
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the Pershing expedition, not to do what Villa had done, but to
pursue the malefactor, their common enemy and ours. New calumnies
and stories of conquest. New verbal explosions of exaggerated
patriotism. All that Wilson had done for the revolution was
forgotten and there remained only the time-worn prejudice of the
frontiers which was not even applicable to the case, especially as
the peaceful withdrawal of the forces, without taking an inch of
territory, proved the good faith of the misunderstood idealist.
They sink the Lusitania to the great
admiration of the “Mauserophiles,” and there are new showers of
censure against Wilson for the notes in which, as a pacifist at
heart, like all men who have reached a certain state of ethic
perfection, he protested against the marine-Zapatista attack.
And finally comes the ukase from Potsdam
forbidding the United States to have maritime traffic with Europe,
and at this imprudent and mad challenge Wilson, the pacifist, takes
up the gauntlet. Universal laughter! Our “Mauserophiles” split their
sides with laughter. Any of our exaggerated patriots considered
himself alone capable of devouring Wilson and his ungainly soldiers.
Wilson against William, King and Emperor, was a joke. All the moving
quixotism looked with compassion on the poor “schoolmaster.” In
Potsdam, as was natural, those Olympic lords of the “super-advance
“did not even take the trouble to mark Pershing on the map of the
theater of the war.
But to-day the facts, the overwhelming facts, are opening the eyes of
those who were accustomed to scorn. The American Army has become
formidable and its force, combined with the rest, is making the
supreme priests of Mars retreat.
And yet Wilson, the much discussed, the admirable and the
misunderstood, will come to figure in the firmament of liberty of
the peoples as a star of the first magnitude. And the German people
themselves, to-day under the boots of the Prussian Junkers, will be
the first to recognize later the honorable influence of Wilson for
universal fraternity.
Wilson has been our friend. Let us in our turn be his loyal friends.
Away with those fables of absorption, when this war which costs the
world so dear is being fought precisely to finish with the delirium
of conquest on the part of dangerous lunatics! Let us change our
policy of hostility towards the American people and let us broaden a
little our purely Apostolic Roman judgment with incrustations of the
doctrines of Robespierre. Only thus can we prevent the Phrygian cap
from sinking down to our necks.
