Teaching Liberty to Santo Domingo – Emma Goldman (1917)

From ‘Mother Earth’, February 1917, New York City, published and edited by Emma Goldman

While American men and women read indignant articles in the patriotic press about the outrage and wrongs committed against Belgium, Serbia, Poland, etc., the United States Government perpetrates outrages in Santo Domingo and Haiti of the same nature.

In many instances these men and women doubtlessly believe that the crocodile tears shed occasionally by the President and other Machiavellian spokesmen of the government over the unfortunate people of the occupied provinces and districts of Europe are real tears of heartfelt sincerity. Such idiosyncrasy may be cured by giving some attention to the following document issued by a representative of American militarism to the people of Santo Domingo, who recently revolted against despotic American trust-rule on their territory:

Censorship

With the declaration of Occupation and Military Government in Santo Domingo, a censorship is hereby established the existence of which will be immediately notified to the Press.

Any comment that is intended to be published upon the attitude of the United States Government, or upon anything connected with the Occupation and Military Government of Santo Domingo must first be submitted to the local censor for approval; and no such comment shall be permitted to be printed without having been passed upon favorably by the censor.

The publication is forbidden of expressions of a violent or inflammable nature or that will tend to encourage hostility or resistance to the Military Government, :

The publication of any newspapers or other periodical that offends against this order will be suspended; and responsible persons, — owners, editors or others — will further be liable to punishment by the Military Government.

The printing and distribution of posters, handbills, or similar means of propaganda in order to disseminate views unfavorable to the United States Government or to the Military Government in Santo Domingo is forbidden, as is the distribution in Santo Domingo of such matter in papers and periodicals published in foreign countries. Offenders against this regulation will be liable to punishment by the Military Government.

The officer (General) commanding on shore will appoint censors and put this order into effect.

[Signed] H.S. KNAPP, Captain, U.S.N.

If Mexico could be occupied as easily as Santo Domingo, a similar military strangulation decree, addressed to the Mexicans would be published soon, But in spite of it all, the big usurers’ government of the United States still succeeds in deluding masses of people who lay claim to the capacity to think for themselves by the fairy tale, that it is the special mission of said government to see to it that the small nations of the world may not be robbed of their liberties and independence by powerful tyrants! A valuable, priceless superstition for the grand style usurers and gamblers under the patriotic disguise of which they may safely exploit and flay the subjects of their own country and the colonies without risking quick discovery and revenge.

Greed – Emma Goldman (1916)

Excerpted from ‘Observations and Comments’, ‘Mother Earth’, July 1916, New York City, published and edited by Emma Goldman

Greed and political intrigue have succeeded in pushing the people of the United States very near the abyss of a war with Mexico. Greed directed and commanded behind the scene, and the government acted the show on the national stage accordingly, glad to exploit the “all embracing” national issue for next election.

The European war revealed the rottenness, deception, of all governmentalism in its startling extent and grossness. The American people however, have, as it seems, not gained any insight into the bloody game, Easily trapped they are by the interests of American wealth, speculating in Mexico, and by the Washington administration intrigue to secure its position for the next term.

For these purposes it is that the federal army and the national guard are mobilized and sped into Mexico. Young men of the people go and fight, be crippled and die, in order that the immense possessions and enterprises of American money grabbers in Mexico may increase in value, and that the administration may retain its power.

If an army is despatched into a foreign country to search for a lost stick pin — and stays there interminably, the foreign country certainly has a right to protest. There could be no doubt, right in the beginning, that the sending of a military force to invade Mexico under the pretext to search for that one man Villa would and must stir up trouble, would and must provoke war.

As a consequence the hostilities have begun. There are on both sides a considerable large number of dead and prisoners. The bloody mess is complete. Only the official declaration of war is necessary to crown the schemes of the politician, the speculations of the exploiter, and the pitiable submission of the people.