The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-14
POOR SERVICE ON MEXICAN RAILROADS Too Much Red Tape About
 Government System
UNIQUE NEWSPAPER
Birmingham Man Tells About Radio Fleet News Printed At Vera Cruz for Benefit of
 Americans

Vera Cruz, Mex, August 3.-tSpecal Correspondence )-I am "agin' the govern ment ownership of railways. l am doubly
 agin" it when it comes to this country,
 where the statesman always puts off un-
 til tomorrow what should be done today.
 We have been working for a. week to find out when the distinguished gentlemen in
 the city will let a train be operated over the line to Tlerra Blanca and we do not
 know any more now than then. You can
 have all your track repaired, spend all the money necessary to get trains ready and then hang up week while the de-
 partments in Mexico City gab about poll
 tics, the acts of Carranza and this and
 that thing, before you can get an order allowing the movement of single box car. And then worst of it, they will de- eide one day that trains can be operated and then the next day revoke that de- cision. This country shore do need Comer' or some other emphatic and force ful character to set them a pattern for running things. The service is not as good as in the United States the rates are no lower, and the general trend of things Is not toward efficiency as back home. Think of it: the distance to Mexico commonly called here .the queens own" and yet 1t takes l2 hours to run with their crack trains. And the route via Puebla is about seven hours longer I wonder how long our folks would stand for that in the states.
 Some redeeming features come from on frtff aaat t,tt rftl. politician cannot make the railroads and rates hobby to ride into office on, and they do not have any need for railroad commissions. Speaking of railways, I am glad to see spirit of fairness coming to the surface in the United States and I feel that, while the railways may not get the full loaf of a , per cent increase. the, people will be just and award them such increase as will leave them a fair re- turn on the money and something for bet terments.
 We have the most unique news service in the world down here, now that the Mexican Herald, the only English printed paper, has moved back to the city. It is called the Radio Fleet News Press and is gotten up by the wireless operators on the different vessels. It consists of one sheet closely written on typewriter. After the news comes in the vessel operators get out their issue for the fleet and make carbon copies for us which are given us by the orderles. Then when something extra happens, like the German decIara- tion of war, the wireless man. at military headquarters gets 1t and phones 1t out l hope to get copy of our paper to send E. w. Barrett so that he may see that you cannot keep the news instinct of the American from asserting itself. The other day we had the war news and the action of the New York Stock exchange in an hour after 1t happened. Some of our ships have powerful apparatus that will work long distances.
 saw my first beautiful Mexican girl tonight. She was about 16 with jet black hair and long curls. and as l passed her l noted she was looking over a lot of jewels on display in the store, and no doubt dreaming of the day when some Romeo would come along and slip over her dainty finger a little band of gold that would bind their lives together. These jewery stores are very well kept here and have large assortment of the pret- tiest and best colored opas that I ever saw. The stones are very attractive and are much worn by the people in this sec ton. The Spaniard, however, runs most ly to diamonds. You can always tell one of wealth because he is loaded down with 
 We have just received wireless notice of the assassination of the Emperor of Austria, and everything is in ferment. l hear the newsboys crying La Opinion, so I shall stop and see what can be learned RIII, SYKES