The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-26
1.-THE BARNsroRMERs.e
By Max Alley. Illustrated. Charles Scrib-
 ners Sons, Publishers. New York


 THE TRANSFORMERS.
 By Max Alley. Illustrated. Charles Scrib-
 ners Sons, Publishers. New York.
 In The Transformers" May Alley presents an unusually unique and in- teresting story of four ingenious and very much alive youngsters who decide to make theatre in an old barn and to give some plays After a series of highly diverting adventures they com plete the theatre and evolve a drama full of incident and tragedy. The suc- cess Of this first venture encourages them to follow it with others even more daring and the story of their theatrical career is a most lively and entertaining one.
 THE MEXICAN PEOPLE: THEIR
 STRUGGLE FOR LIBERTY" By L. Gutierrez de Lara and Edgcumb 'Binchen. Illustrated from Photo
 graps. Doubleday Page & Co.,, Pub fishers, Garden City N. Y.
 The publication of Senor de Lara's "The Mexican People,; Their Struggle for Freedom" coincides with the mo- ment of greatest tension in the Mex ican situation. Senor de Lara both by nature and by training Is well equipped to cast new light on the distressing problem of our relations with our tur- bulent neighbor. He shows that the question is no longer one of diplomats and bureaucrats; at last, the bitter cry of the Mexican people themselves must be heard. It is the world-old problem of the land. and the peon, stiffened by the pinch of poverty and munger cares not who rules so long as ne may till his field undisturbed. For tnis the rebels were fighting; and the trag- edy of intervention is that II oniy postpones the inevitable settlement in Mexico. which must come from within Undoubtedly to intervene is to play the game of the dictator Huerta, Wno ls Is thus given an opportunity or re- signing gracefully.
 For many, many years" recently, said L. Gutierrez de Lara, author with Edecumb Pinchon of "The Mexican People: Their Struggle for Freedom, 'all Latin-American revolutionists have cher ished a great dream. That dream has been of one great American repuD- He extending from the Rio Grande 10
 the Straits of Magellan. It seems to me
 that Vera Cruz occupation resulting Tn
 the media ton plans of the Argentine,
 Brazil and Chile marks the first prac-
 ticaI step in the realization of that glo-
 rous hope.'
 This remarkable statement was made recently by MT. De Lara, who has been in Los Angeles since the publication or his important book. 'The Mexican 1eo- pie: Their Struggle for Freedom Is frankly statement of the constitution
 alsts side of Mexican history, and forms the first expression ever given or the voice of the Mexican peon. As such it makes clear the real cause and the
 real purpose behind the Mexican revo- lution and shows that the present crisis
 Is the result of 100 years of fighting by the Mexican peon class. And that fight has been for the ownership and administration of their own land which the book shows has been seized time after time by the more powerful pro- prietor class
 As is well known, Senor De Lara, while a Mexican lawyer, student, and econo- mist was actually engaged in the revo-
 lution and has participated in the high councils of inc constitutionalist leaders Senor De Laras book is dedicated to the task of proving that intervention in
 Mexico at the present time will only bring about more loss of life and worse con ditions in the long run. He says that the only solution for Mexico is to solve
 her own troubles now, and to let the big issues at stake be worked out on their own merits. Consequently Senor De Lara has been most enthusiastic supporter of President Wilson and his Mexican policy, and even in his comment on the flag saluting incident. declared that his faith in the President was so great that he expected to see the whole matter cleared up without contiued armed in- tervention.