President Wilson delivered the following important speech to a
delegation of Mexican editors at the White House June 7, 1918:
I have never received a group of men who were more welcome than
you are because it has been one of my distresses during the period
of my Presidency that the Mexican people did not more thoroughly
understand the attitude of the United States toward Mexico. I
think I can assure you, and I hope you have had every evidence of
the truth of my assurance, that that attitude is one of sincere
friendship--not merely the sort of friendship which prompts one
not to do his neighbor any harm, but the sort of friendship which
earnestly desires to do his neighbor service.
My own policy and the policy of my own Administration toward
Mexico was at every point based upon this principle; that the
internal settlement of the affairs of Mexico was none of our
business; that we had no right to interfere with or dictate to
Mexico in any particular with regard to her own affairs.
Take one aspect of our relations which at one time may have been
difficult for you to understand. When we sent our troops into
Mexico our sincere desire was nothing else than to assist you to
get rid of the man who was making the settlement of your affairs
for the time being impossible. We had no desire to use our troops
for any other purpose, and I was in hopes that by assisting in
that way and thereupon immediately withdrawing the troops I might
give you substantial proof of the truth of the assurances that I
had given your Government through President Carranza.