Our National Defense: The Patriotism of PeaceMaxwell, George Hebard
History
Our National Defense: The Patriotism of Peace
Maxwell, George Hebard
United States -- Defenses
The territory which the United States should thus acquire from Mexico by
peaceful agreement and purchase should include the section of land lying
north of the most southerly line of New Mexico and Arizona, which runs
through or very close to Douglas, Naco, and Nogales, extended due west to
and across the Gulf of California and thence to the Pacific Ocean. The land
lying north and east of this line and the Gulf of California and Colorado
River should become a part of Arizona. The land lying north of the same
line and extending from the Colorado River and the Gulf of California on
the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west, should become a part of the
State of California.
A neutral zone should be created, south of and parallel to the boundary
line between the United States and Mexico, extending all the way from the
Pacific Coast to the Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the Rio Grande River.
This neutral zone should be controlled by an International Commission.
That commission should also have jurisdiction to determine any
controversies that might arise with reference to the Gulf of California.
They should have the same jurisdiction over that neutral sea zone as over
the neutral land zone. The jurisdiction of such an International Commission
might well be extended to cover all controversies that might arise between
the United States and Mexico, as to which it might be given full powers as
an International Commission of Conciliation or Arbitration, whenever such
disputed question was referred to it by the Executive or Legislative
authority of either government, and in all cases before an actual
declaration of war should be made by either country against the other.
Such an agreement would be of inestimable advantage to both countries, and
would more than compensate Mexico for the transfer to the United States of
the little corner of land which should be a part of Arizona and California.
It is of no possible benefit to Mexico to hang on to it. Its acquisition by
the United States is vital to its safe development. Its ownership by Mexico
puts the great population that will eventually live in the valley of the
Colorado River in the same position with reference to their national outlet
to the sea that the people of the Mississippi Valley would be in, if some
other nation owned the mouth of the Mississippi River, or that New York
would occupy if, for instance, Germany or France owned Long Island and
Staten Island and the territory immediately adjacent to the Narrows and
Long Island Sound on the mainland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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