Moreover, although probably three-quarters of our people warmly sympathized with the Entente allies, the German minority party tried in every way to hinder and to discredit the administration. Such evidences of divided allegiance shocked the country so that in the Presidential campaign of 1916, all platforms denounced it.
During the war President Wilson offered mediation without avail, and various individuals agitated to bring about peace. They did not realize that mighty, fundamental differences be tween the combatants were being fought out, a terrible but necessary process before the world could return to peace. The United States per formed its neutral duties faithfully for its trade in contraband, which was naturally objectionable to the Germans who got none of it, was abso lutely legal and proper. Its long suffering in merely protesting against the invasion of its neutral rights, was due to the causes stated above. But as the war went on, the country became acutely conscious of its military weak ness, and increases in both military and naval establishments were voted by Congress.
Relations with Mexico.-- President Diaz ably built up commerce and transportation in Mexico and fulfilled its foreign obligations, but he failed to satisfy the demands of his people for education, a change of the land system, and administrative reform. His supplanter, Madero, was too feeble to solve either foreign or internal problems; while Huerta had no chance, for President Wilson, displeased at the bloody be ginning of his rule, refused to recognize him. Moreover, his rival, Carranza, was helped with arms and money to drive Huerta out and was recognized in turn. During all this upheaval the country fell into chaos, brigandage became rife, our own border had to be guarded, and on a somewhat trivial point of etiquette Vera Cruz was occupied, and later abandoned.
Carranza proved unequal to his task. He had no credit; he could not maintain order; his soldiery was insubordinate; the national debt was defaulted and the country starved. Then came raids over the border, quite pur poseless but most exasperating, led by Villa and others. To punish and prevent such raids, United States troops were sent southward hop ing for a co-operation in bringing about order, which they failed to get. Instead they twice met
with open resistance from the Carranzistas.
The United States and This account of the diplomacy of the United States would be incomplete without some reference to its attitude toward arbitration as a means of settling international differences. This has been a lifelong policy. It was used by the provisions of Jay's treaty in 1794, to designate the Saint Croix boundary; in 1814 to apportion the islands in Passamaquody Bay; in 1814 also to settle the northeastern boundary. By this device the Alabama claims, the San Juan boundary, the Northeastern Fishery dispute, the sealing controversy, all these being differences with Great Britain, have been satisfactorily arranged. The Alaskan boundary was laid down by a joint commission which is not strictly an arbitral method but a substitute for it. All of this has been narrated. These were all in stances of special arbitration, i.e., of reference to a special court agreed upon ad hoc. Their fortunate outcome naturally led to a desire to broaden the usage, to make it general, perhaps obligatory, instead of particular. Both of The Hague conferences testify to the efforts of our delegates to this end. But besides this, our State Department has tried in at least three dif ferent ways to generalize the arbitral principle by treaty.
(1) In 1908-11 Mr. Root made nearly 20 treaties which refer to The Hague Court ques tions "of a legal nature or relating to the in terpretation of treaties" provided they do not affect vital interests, independence, or honor. A vast number of similar agreements were made by other powers, their scope being equally limited.
(2) In 1911 Mr. Taft framed treaties, with both France and Great Britain, referring to arbitration all questions in dispute justiciable in their nature, to which was coupled a Commis sion of Inquiry provision. These failed of rati fication in any useful form.
(3) In 1913-14 Mr. Bryan carried through some 30 treaties based on a so-called Peace Plan which by the certain reference of all mat ters in dispute to a commission of inquiry, war and increase of armament to await its report, gave opportunity for calm deliberation.