The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-07
MOTORISTS FINDS
MEXICO IN ARMS
MADERO'S MEN HOLD HIM Up
WHILE ON JOURNEY TO
CAPITAL CITY.
GUERRILLAS AT WORK
DETROITER EXPRESSES AMAZE
MEyT THAT OUTSIDE WORLD
KNOWS LITTLE OF TRUE
STATE OF AFFAIRS.

Comparatively little news Of actual
conditions in turbulent Mexico nave
filtered through To the newspapers
of this country. Occasional stories
of the fighting in and near the bor-
der as printed and the reader gets
g. vague idea of the progress made
by the Easquistas, or rebels. VINO
are trying to capture the Maoero
government. But most OF these re-
ports are written from the viewpoint
Of possible international complications
and proba bility of Intervention. Or
the real conditions, a true picture OF
a country In the throes or ciVil war
and suffering from the worst forms
of guerilla warfare, little Is known.
II has remained for the American
travellers, who have been doing bust
ness in Mexico. to give the detailed
and vivid saccounts of Mexieo's un-
happy state. A Detroiter recently re-
turned from Madero's country ana
brought with him some narrowing
stories of lighting and IawIessness in
| the district where he-~as- engaged
and expressed his amazement over the
fact that the outside world is in ig-
norance of the frightful state of ar
fairs Recently another hit of news
has filtered through.
a Mexican military executive mas
held up an American Automobiles and
refused to let him proceed on his
way to Mexico City because the en-
tire district was in arms. The victim
| was r JJ-Beaudet,- mho, with a conf
ipanion, is endeavoring to blaze a
trail from Los Angeles down the west
coast of Mexico to Mexico City In a
Cadillac car. After overcoming in
Vulnerable difficulties such az have
never before been encountered by an
automobile, including the fording of
wild streams and the crossing OF
mountains where there was not even
a, mule trail, Mr.. Beaudet reached
Rosamanda in the State OF Merella,
about 500 miles from the City Of
Mexico. only to be stopped by gov
ernment order. The military head
prohibited the Cadillac continuing its
| journey. 1t Is presumed, however,
that the delay lis a temporary one and
that the car by this time is on its
way again.
THE thrills and sensa tions Of driv-
| ing racing automobile seventy-five
| or eighty miles an hour no longer
| interest me" saws Harry CODE. Il am
through with the game for good and
unless some manufacturer foolishly
| offers me an unheard Of price TO
drive his car in a race will never
| start in another contest.
Nowhere in the world OF sport
| does mans nerve, his endurance,
his confidence, count for SO much as
, In automobile racing. The strain Of
| a steeplechase Is nothing compared
to that of 4 man riding at the speed
of an express train in light and
specially built automobile, where the
slightest miscue means death to him
self and possibly to a hundred spec
tators. This is the exact situation
man driving In a race must face
every time he crosses the tape at the
signal of the starters gun.
The racing situation has become
SO commercialiyed that today ii ar
fords very little reward to the man
who places any value on his life, In
| the first place, manufacturers engag-
ed in automobile racing have been be-
| sieged by applicants to drive their
cars in speed contests. Most of the
| applicants are factory men or chaaf-
feurs. or. in any event they are men
| inexperienced in the handling OF a
racing machine. The result has been
| that half the men engaged in racing
are risking their lives for practically
| song. Not for me. / have been
(! in the spotlight when its reflection
meant money and glory: but as the
situation is today. 1t Is all glory and
no money. and that angle does not
appeal to me-"