Imperial Valley press., 1914-03-07

Huerta's side, but blight seemed to
be placed on all his former prowess,
and defeats met him at every turn.
How to get money and how to raise
an army were Huerta's problems. He
set about to do these things, but every
dollar he raised by taxation only made
him a new enemy and every peon
whom he forced into the army only
gave him another soldier on whom he
could not depend. BY the seventh
month of his rule he had built up a
large army, and had distributed it
about the country but he could not
pay it.
You must pay these soldiers" he
ordered the business men and farmers
Of the various districts, cor | shall
withdraw them" In many cases the
business men and farmers chose not
to have the federal soldiers in their
localities. They preferred, indeed, to
have the rebels rule over them, for
the federals were men of low class,
many of them conscripted criminals
turned loose from the jails, cruel,
heartless and Unsuitable for money,
women and alcohol. Neither could
Huerta trust his officers. He said once
in a burst of confidence to Nelson
'Shaughnessy, charge d'affaires in
the American embassy: 81 can't trust
my officers. l only wish I had about
$50 American captains down here. I'd
clean those rebels out in short time.
Graft prevailed in every corner of
the army. Zone trouble is that no.
body in my army ever dies" said
Huerta on another occasion. "Death
never causes any changes in the pay
roll. Five hundred soldiers may be
killed in a battle, but the pay roll
never shows it. " And so what money
Huerta was able to gather together in
various ways was vainly spent, in the
main. 1t was like pounding sand In
rat hole; he didn't get his moneys
worth of military effort at any stage
# the game. Even if the United
Itates had recognized him, however,
nd he had been able to secure all the
unds he wished for, Huerta could not
ave crushed the revolution against
rim. Proof of this is the fact that
'orfirio Diaz, himself, with $62, 2,OOO,-
100 in his treasury and means of Sc
urlng much more, was forced to yield
o Madero's demands that he resign.
)iaz knew that it was not money he
eeded, but men; and he knew that the
ime had come in Mexico when, among
he oppressed millions, there were not
o be found enough men to make up an
rmy that would support oppressors.
During the months that Huerta was
lolding the government by force Felix
)laz, nephew of the former president,
md accomplice Of Huerta in the over
hrow of Madero. was discovering the
ruth of the old adage, traitor to one,
craitor to ALL"
Huerta sent Diaz on a mission to
Japan to thank the government there
for its participation in the Mexican
'entennial celebration of 1910 This
vas laughable mission At least four
1en, leaders whom the Maderos or
Huertas desired to leave the country,
had been started off for Japan, only to
Ne stopped on the wav, in Europe, with
riders to remain in Europe. As soon
s Diaz got his orders, he knew their
significance. He was to be thrust
side. But he started, nevertheless.
He got as far as Victoria, British Co
iumbia. Then he turned round and
'tarted back for Mexico, determined
% make a fight for his rights. He
'anded at Vera Cruz. He placed him.
self under the protection of John
lind, special representative of
President Wilson. who had been sent
to Mexico to endeavor to bring about
Huerta's retirement. Within few
days he saw that his life was in dan
ger In the night he made his way to
the American consulate and asked to
be allowed to go to an American war
ship in the harhor. His request was
granted and. within two days, he was
n Havana, Cuba. But Huerta's long
7rm followed him there. Three assas-
Tins tried to kill him. He escaped with
his life, though he was painfully in
jured.