The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-11-18
The JOAN OF ARC OF TO-DAY, OF MEXICO
ey ETHEL poLson.

~ ETHEL DoLsoM. 4
Ell PASO, Tex, Nov. 1s.-She is
but girl in years, modest, cul-
tured. beautiful--a gentlewoman.
Porfirio Diaz, despot Of Mexico,
hates her.
She is Andrea villareaf, the Joan
dare Of Mexico.
In every cause that has for its
object the lettering of human con-
ditions, there will be found women,
unselfish, consecrated, sacrificing,
and ever ready to sacrifice all they
hold dearest to bring about the
change that they believe will bring
a little more Of comfort, a little
more of love, little more of hap
4 piness into the lives of their peo-
ple.
Sometimes 1t chances that a
single woman comes to be the in
spiration, the very heart and soul
of movement for a change like
this.
Andrea Villareal Is such
woman. With her only brother in
the Arizona penitentiary at Flor
ence as a result of aid given to
Diaz by police officers and courts
of the United States. sentenced to
Jail because of his opposition to his
country's oppressor; her father and
her only sister facing, or actually
suffering unknown horrors in Mex
leo, this girl, choking back her
sobs. bravely suffering the anguish
that must be hers, is the inspira-
ton, the heart and soul of the Mex
lean liberal movement on this side
of the Mexican border, a movement
which she hopes will work the
change that will, whatever the per-
sonal cost to her, bring little
more of comfort, little more of
love, little more of happiness into
the lives OF her people.
That Is why Porfirio Diaz hates
her.
In the towns along the Mexican
border, where there are thousands
of Mexican liberals, waiting to be
guided, when the time comes, to
take their part in an effort to take
what the constitution of their coun-
try declares is theirs, to rid them
selves of the burden Of the Diaz
government, Andrea Villareal
Yields an Influence so powerful
that should she venture to set foot
on Mexican soil, her life would I'M
doubtedly be the forfeit. She would
be taken prisoner by agents of Diaz
and xecuted"-tortured to death
or shot down as an anarchist, a
dangerous criminal.
Yet she is neither of these. She
loves her people. That is all. She
believes her people are suffering
unjustly. So she talks to them,
quietly, convincingly, sometimes al
most gently. She Is trying to teach
them, not to inflame them. Daily,
almost, she talks, explaining, urg.
ing patience.
Americans who have heard her
speak, though, perhaps, not under
standing her words, carry away
with them distinct impression of
the magnetism, of the wonderful
| poWSif VI tuIo ScltiC, Dcdutllul 6lIt
fearless as she is beautiful.
The burden that Andrea Villa
real carries every hour of the day
would break many'a man. 1t was
only few days ago that her father
and her only sister. Teresa, ventur-
ing on Mexican soil, were instantly
reached by the long arm" of Diaz,
and thrust into prison.
1t Is the uncertainty Of what may
be their fate that Is hardest to
~ apdure.
ICY NAdrea realizes the awful posi-
,>Ies. She knows well what very
w Americans dream. or this,
ohm Kenneth Turner, author of
'Barbarous Mexico" says:
4 In Mexico, federal and prison
I authorities make no distinction
where sex is concerned.
II don't know what will become
Of Teresa Villareal-no one can
even venture guess. No matter
what her friends may try to do in
her behalf, they may never hear
from her again. 1t is bad enough
for man to be thrown into a
Mexican dungeon-but q woman
well, l won't try to say anything
more. There's nothing to be. said"
Andrea Villareal knows the bit
ter truth OF Turner's every word.
Yet with her brother in an Ameri-
can jail, her sister and her father
In the territory of Diaz, with the