South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-11
LIND KNOWN AS
REGULAR SPHINX
Presidents Envoy To- Mexico Was Dis
covered by Bryan for Deli
cate Task.

WASHINGTON. d. G, Aug. IL
John Lind, the political stormy petrol
OF the northwest. is on the way 10
Mexico City on a peace mission. I'm
perturbable 20 all that has gone on
about him IN the past, and likely 10
continue imperturbable 10 all that
may go on about HIM IN the near fu-
ture, John Lind, paramount commits
6ioner to Mexico and personal repre-
sentative Of the president OF the Unit
ed States, has an opportunity in which
his fellow countrymen are most deep
~ interested.
II Mr.. Lind were going to Mexico
as "a well-wisher OF the Huerta gov
erEment his job might be regarded as
q junket Instead he is delegated 20
bring about peace by asking every
man in Mexico 10 give up his job.
whether that Job be president Of the
Republic Of Mexico as a water car
rier in the rear ranks OF the constitu-
tiOnalist army in the dense chaparral
along the Rio Grande. The possibili-
ties Of the undertaking are marvellous.
IL was doubtless in view Of this fact
that Secy. g State Bryan selected
John Lind.
Bryan Makes Discovery"
Lest some one challenge the asser-
.tion that Secy. Bryan picked out Lind.
knew favOrably Of him as a man and
democrat. he was not aware Of his
monumental ignorance concerning
Mexico and. therefore, paid him the
high compliment of overlooking II. IL
remained for Mr.. Bryan 10 discover
that Mr.. Lind had never written
book about Mexico, had not rushed
into print on the Mexican situation,
and that If he ever heard OF the coun-
try at all IL had failed 10 become pub
lie knowledge.
When soldiers go TO war it is Gus
tOmary for the bands to play The
Girl / Left Behind Me-" In the case
of John Lind. the sphinx, there are
some misgivings as 10 just what song
the chorus would unite upon. In the
first place, Lind is not going for war.
but for peace. In the second place.
these is Sen. Knute Nelson, the official
sphinx of the NOrwegians in the
northwest. who IS almost as inscrut-
able as Lind, the sphinx Of the
Swedes. 1t has been a noteworthy
fact In Minnesota history for a good
many years that verbal cyclones in
Minnesota usually passed over with
John Lind and Knute Nelson secure
in the bottom OF a cyclone cellar.
Nevertheless. they have been political
rivals for years.
lind and Nelson Break.
As long as Lind stayed in the re-
publican party. which ne did up to
1896, there never was a democrat who
had a chance TO win in Minnesota
against the Lind-NelsOn combination.
lind was the first 10 break IL in 1899.
when he became the first democratic
governor Of Minnesota. Nelson and
the republicans beat him for re-elec-
ton, and when the democrats nomi-
mated Lind again in 1910 he went off
70 the Pacific coast and never spoke
for weeks
When he did, he said NO" and
Nelson showed another one Of his
people, Gov. Eberhardt into the gov
etnorss chair. Just before that, how
ever. Lind had cOuntered on Nelson
with John A. Johnson, with whom
Lind always got along in politics.
Mr.. Lind can be a man of action
when occasion demands. Although he
has only one hand. having lost the
other in early life. he has both the
reach and the punch which would be-
come a man twice his size. During
his term as governor Of Minnel ota he
endured verbal pounding from
newspaper editor in st. Paul without
betraying the fact that he resented
Single line said about him.
When the day for parting from his
Job arrived. John Lind said good bye
to everybody, put on his coat and
walked down TO the newspaper Office.
lie went UP 10 the editorial room with
all the air OF a casual visitor. called
the editor into the hall and left him
PROSTATE. He then reentered the ele-
vatOr, spoke TO his friends whom he
met on the street, passed on to his
home and. so far as known. has never
mentioned the incident since.
- Washington is deeply interested in
the mission Of John Lind. So is the
entire country. Difficult as is his mis-
sion and harnessed and hobbled as he
is by the fact that he is only a para
mount commissioner, his job is far
from being an easy one. The best
wishes Of the country have gone with
him. and the only criticism heard con-
cerning his appointment was contain
ed in Sen. Clark's resolution in the
senate. which. while II did not criti-
else Mr.. Lind at all did point out that
the administration mad taken no new
steps TO protect American lives and
property in Mexico pending the out
come OF Mr. Lind's mission OF peace.
Some day John Lind Will speak out
from the City OF Mexico or possibly