Walter Hines Page to Woodrow Wilson
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Out of your insisting on a moral basis of government for Mexico must emerge a real policy for all the volcanic states in Latin–America; and it will emerge, as all right policies do, from proper & courageous action on a concrete case and not as a mere abstract doctrine. That’s the value of it. I never forget and I never forget to say that Mexico is only part of the problem. We have never had a South and Central American policy, worth calling so, because we have never based our action in a given, conspicuous case on a fundamental moral basis —except in Cuba.
It’s hard to get this into the British head. They have a mania for order, sheer order, order for the sake of order and — of trade. They simply can’t see how anything can come before order or why anything need come after it. They are stupified by your concern about anything else in Mexico. What matter who rules or how, so long as he keep order? These are the best policeman in the world, these English, in India, in Africa, everywhere; and, about outlying governments, they have policeman’s ethics.
I don’t know how to guess at their future action. This Government is most hard pressed at home, with the imminent danger of civil war in Ireland, with their land policy, and with their navy, presently in need of oil. If they offend anybody now — any strong trade or financial influence, they may be ousted.
On the other hand is their fear of losing our good–will, which they value. They will not risk it unless by risking it they think to avoid a greater, domestic risk. They await your communication with extreme eagerness. But they can hardly bring themselves to believe in any moral basis of government in Mexico. This is a new conception to these policemen of continents.
Walter H. Page
To The President
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