The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-28
HATRED OF THE GRINGo

from the Kansas City JOufDdl.
 Americans should not forget, in con siderng the present unhappy eomplica- tions in Mexico, that throughout all the Latin republics south of the Rio Grande there is an abiding hatred of them. This animosity Is not always openly express ed. especially when Americans possess visible means of resentment. But It all ways exists. The character of the Mex ican is complex and strange. He is an admixture of odd races and he is in iuenced by many atavc characteristics. Proportions vary greatly as the scale descends from the pure Castilian to the trogliodyte Indian, and there is every conceivable combination of mental and physical clements in the Mexican make, up. But there is one unchanging and uniform quality common to all, and that is distrust, fear and dislike of Amer jeans
 If one were to seek a leaven that might bring homogeneity of interest and pur- pose to a majority of all those of Latin blood, he could find nothing more po- tent than firing the powder of hatred toward Americans. And this is the thing which we must take very seriously into account at this time. Insurrection is a chronic condition among Mexicans That is their somewhat strenuous method or playing politics." They do not take their international differences nearly as seriously as We suppose Their political battles are fought with rifles it is true, but their sentiments are highly volatile oI- oh therefore, we in America witness the somewhat pleasing spectacle of our own people laying aside al a moments notice their political differences and all getting behind our President in common cause, we must consider that to a very great extent the Mexicans will take the same kind of action.
 Already reports come from various points in rebel territory that the Mex jeans are ready to stop fighting among themselves and welcome an opportunity to turn their guns on the "gringoes." This is natural and logical. Their dispo- siton to fight must have some outlet. Under ordinary circumstances they are content to fight each other, but they would throw themselves into conflict with national enemy with surprising zest. They are intensely patriotic-or think they are. They have no real griev- ance against each other. They fight among themselves for power, for money. for spells and. for the pure enjoyment of the spectacular battle incident. Turn this disposition against a foreign foe hated for generations, and the Mexican people will be a serious antagonist to cope with.
 And. finally, it should be kept in mind that the dense ignorance of the Mexican masses has distorted their ideas of geog- raphy and history. Probably not one in 100 of them believes that the United States could whip Mexico. They are common braggarts. They have no con- ception of this country's vast resources, it's amazing development and it's mili- tary and naval power. Their fear of us is not based so much on our military prowess as upon that mysterious respect which the ignorant mind has for com mercial and industrial supremacy. All over Mexico Americans have been push ing railroads into mountains fastnesses, opening gigantic mines, constructing great warehouses and conducting mar. velous business enterprises. These thngA constitute a permanent affront to Mex ican pride. So let us not assume that castigating Huerta would not mean war with a united Mexico, for in all prob ability the whole country would have to be combated in a stubborn and costly struggle.