File 705/1916 Pt 1 'Arab revolt: reports' [‎243r] (33/494)

standard of American sympathy. Thanks to England and her Allies the
American nation has been having a spell of great prosperity. Millions
of dollars are pouring into the country from the supply of war materials
and ammunition. American exports have more than doubled. American
manufacturers, being rid of the competition of German cheap goods, are
making huge profits. Notwithstanding the above advantages, due mainly
to England, as soon as the blockade against Germany was tightened and
restrictions made against the export of certain articles to neutral countries,
Americans became indignant and began to question the right of England
to interfere with their trade. We know that they have protested officially
against the seizure of neutral and enemy mails. They refuse to realise that
the struggle of England and her Allies is one of life and death and that
they are bound to protect themselves by all means at their disposal. This
proves the selfishness and unstability of American sympathy, based exclusively
on material gains and financial interests.
The Mexican war scare and the campaign for presidential election
are absorbing at present the whole attention of the American people;
the European war being relegated to a place of secondary importance.
I can safely state that the majority of the American people do not want
war with Mexico. They realise that if war is declared, it is going to be
a dreary and extenuating guerilla warfare which may last for years. They
are having a spell of great prosperity, and why should they waste the
energies of the country in a war against Mexico ? Wilson’s enemies blame
the whole trouble on the President for his interference, first with Mexican
internal affairs, and for pursuing afterwards a weak and cavillating policy.
Wilson’s friends, on the other hand, hope that General Carranza will yield,
and accept the President’s demands. Thus, war will be averted and
Wilson will score another success by saving the country once more from
being dragged into war: a very valuable asset towards Wilson’s re-
election.
The scenic amenities of a presidential campaign in America are too well
known to be gone into. Hughes and Wilson stand an almost equal chance
to-day. Both of them pledge themselves to follow an undiluted and all-in-
all American policy. What that exactly means we have not been able to
discover yet. Wilson’s stand in international policy is known and there is
every reason to believe that if he is re-elected he will follow it up. Hughes
has not pronounced himself yet regarding his intended international policy.
When he spoke of the sinking of the Lusitania he called it a tragedy, and
said that it might have been averted by a stronger policy. The statement
is ambiguous. What did Hughes mean by a stronger policy, and against
whom should it have been exercised ? Why should he call the sinking of
the Lusitania a tragedy and not a crime and an outrage ? These are
mysteries. The most puzzling feature of Hughes’ campaign is that he has
the whole support of Colonel Roosvelt, known for his firm stand against
Germany and her barbarous methods of war. On the other hand, the
German-Americans have pledged themselves to cast their votes for Hughes.
Future developments may unravel the intricacies of American politics.