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46
MEXICO'S DILEMMA

international league of nations, which will follow this war, to establish the peace of the world.

Should the Carranza Government fall there are on the horizon to-day no leaders, nor is there a group of men, who could take hold and do as well as the Carranza Government is doing. There are rebel leaders in various parts of the country from Villa in the north to Zapata in the mountains near Mexico City and General Pelaez in the oilfields outside of Tampico. Once this government falls, terror will reign again in all parts of the country, and as the United States and the Allies are almost wholly dependent upon Mexico for oil and various minerals, a state of anarchy in Mexico which would interfere with the Allies' supply of these valuable war necessities could not be permitted. If the revolution should break out again the only solution would be American intervention, which would be not only costly to us but would divert to a certain degree the energy of the United States which it is so necessary to concentrate upon the war in Europe.

No one knows this better than the Germans in Mexico, and although they are "playing" the present government they are also preparing for the time when there may be trouble in Mexico injurious to the United States. At present they want to keep Mexico neutral.

The Carranza Government has been told officially that so far as the United States Government is concerned it is not in America's interest for