The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-05-01
War Correspondent Describes
Mexican Dictator as a Man
of Iron Will.
MORE INDIAN THAN SPANISH
Perhaps the Strongest Man in the Re
public, Though Not Military Gen.
ius-Willing to Take Gamblers
Desperate Chance.
BY N. c. ADOSSlDES,
War Correspondent in Mexico and Stu
dent OF Conditions There.

dent Of Conditions There.
During my stay in Mexico victori-
ano Huerta was the head of Madero's
federal army, and so exceedingly hos
tile to the representatives OF the press
was he that he issued orders for the
arrest of many and used means at his
command to hamper the efforts of
others.
One correspondent, Gerald Brandon,
was imprisoned and sentenced to
death, but was released.
At Torreon, where | first met him.
the commanderin-chief's quarters at
the Hotel Francia we're two doors
away from my room; l dined at his
table and. unwelcome guest that | was.
found him exceedingly suave and po-
lite.
| saw him so intoxicated that Off
GERS had to assist him to his apart
ments. and sober. reticent and frigid.
| saw him In the %brotherly embrace OF
Pancho villa, praising him for his
fidelity.
once asked a highly educated Mex
lean officer If Huerta were a really
able military man. do you know
he answered me. the French proverb,
Dams lie royaume des aveugles lie
borgne est lie roi?' I'm the kingdom OF
the blind the one-eyed man is the
king. Well" he continued, we have
no great s~trategis. nor great military
genius in Mexico. Victoriano Huerta
is, however, the pest officer in our
army; he is a man OF great t~enacity
and strength of character, and he pos
sesses the qualifications necessary tC
a successful DICTATOR
Something Like Diaz.
Huerta is much the same type as
Porflrtp Diaz, more Indian than Span
ish in blood, appearance and traits
Educated in the military academy o
Chapultepec and having no influence
at his back, he advanced slowly Il
the foremost rank OF Madero's revolu
tionary army. In that capacity h
shone, undoubtedly, for he could in
spire his forces with confidence an,
fighting spirit.
And now when he is provisions
president OF the Mexican republic
would be unfair to consider him as
puppet and fgurehead. He is perhap
the strongest man in that republic an
a man who will strain every nerve t
retain his position and solidify hi
achievements. He is a mar with
keen sense for a crisis, and he is
clever manipulation of possibilities.
With the vision of his crushed a.
mics and his own power depleted b
the successful constitutionalists In tn
North, hampered by the n%onrecogn
! ton of this country. he is the kind c
man to take a gamblers desperat
chance.
, He sees his own salvation in a wa
with the United States. He hopes :
, behold his present enemies, the col
l st~itutionalists. rallying to preserve tn
national honor. With the united ia,
: lions he hopes 10 resist the hate
"Gringo."
: He hopes for the time when theT
will no longer be federals and cOnst
} tutionalists, but Mexicans defendln
i Mexico and Huerta.
It almost seems that he Is MOI
afraid of Villas victorious army tina
of an imminent blow from the exa
perated American nation.
Thinks Victory viii Be Easy.
: Chicago.-Coming direct from Tar
pico, the scene of the insult to II
i American flag, Don B. White,
wealthy oil operator. who has lived
Mexico for twenty years. arrived
! Chicago. Mr.. White knows personal
both vietoriano Huerta and Zapas
the rebel terrorizing the south of Il
devastated country. He talked crap
ically of conditions in Mexico and Il
possible outcome OF the war.
IF the United States acts quick
and sends a large army down there
once said Mr.. White, then the VI
won't last long, because they will |;
5 down their arms with fear. But the
n must be decisive action and it mu
e be done quickly.
y "Huerta-I know him PERSONAL
He can't possibly raise more thi
5000 real soldiers and to conquer hi
would require scarcely more than me
toying.
But the hardest fight the Unit
e States army will have will be in t
D state of Morales, which is CONTROL
o by zapata. Zapata is the Aguinal
n of Mexico. British, ignorant and
human, he is an Indian about thir'