The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-12

6plCuOuS. lie went tnere us u specki
correspondent Of the London Times
and has embodied the result OF his OBJ
servations IN a book entitled THE Real
Mexico" which is to be issued this week
by Mcbride. Mast & Co.
Along the border. says Mr.. Fyfc. 1
had begun 70 understand how much
loss and suffering have been caused to
subjects OF the United States. The fact
that some 10000 Mexicans have been
killed concerns Mexico alone. So long
~ the poems can count upon four shlil-
ings a day for being soldiers instead OF
one shilling q day. or less, for being
laborersr with frequent opportunities of
loot thrown in. they will fight willingly
for either side and run the risk of get
ting killed. II they lived on a barren
island all by themselves they might go
on fighting until they were all extermi-
mated and no one would greatly care.
But when one learns that 200 Amer!-
cans have been killed, not to mention
the enormous losses suffered. one Is
driven to ask with Mr.. Roosevelt
whether 1t Is not the duty Of Govern
ment to protect its subjects.
In New York. in the Eastern States
generally. in the middle West. they
know next to nothing about events in
Mexico. The channels through which
news flows are untrustworthy, not so
much because OF the yellow tendency
to eXaggerate, which causes newspapers
In the United States to be read with
cynical scepticism. as on account OF two
forces that are operating against any
full unprejudlced statement of the truth.
Most people in the United States are
therefore densely ignorant about Mex
ico. although 1t lies next door TO them.
They are fatty opposed to 'interven-
tion," II It means losing lives and SPEND
ing money. They say: "If Americans
go to these barbarous lands they must
take their chance" II they have any
view OF the political situation at all 1t
10 that president Huerta is a bad man"
and that pious country (hke the
United States) ought not to encourage
him: or that the best plaintiffs have
heard hundreds say--would be to let
each side buy arms and ammunition
freely (from the United States) and
fight 1t out. But in Texas. in New Mex
leo. in Arizona, especially in the south
ern parts. which lie next TO Mexico.
feeling against President Wilson and
Secretary Bryan is bitter and contemp-
tuous.
travelled one day with an official OF
the United States immigration Depart
ment. In the course OF duty he had to
go over from Ell Paso to Juarez to make
inquiries about a colored man who had
committed some offence in the United
States. This man had in the meantime
Joined the Mexican army and been made
Q Lieutenant. He had the immigration
hxr vl,ifh
any warrant on charge OF being
about to attempt to kidnap him" The
soldiers marched the agent of toward
the hills: being convinced that they
would shoot him II they got him there.
he ran away. They fired and shot him
through the stomach. He managed TO
get to the civil police post, but even
there he lay for twenty-four hours with
out proper treatment. and his release
was only secured by the resolute action
Of another immigration officer.
The Mexico Northwestern Railway in
Chihuahua has been at n standstill since
June, 1918, after suffering losses for two
years before that. Its 800 miles of track
are in q part OF the country where
fighting has been pretty well continu-
Gus. Both sides have damaged II. Mr..
Crockett. the general manager. told me
that up to the beginning of October $50
bridges had been rebuilt or repaired; at
that time seventy-eight were still down.
This railway links up a series of mines
and lumber properties belonging to the
3. +. Pearson interest (Which has moth
ing to do with Lord Cowdray's firm.
The mines are mostly idle. The railway
Is doing nothing; miles OF its track are
torn up; its rolling stock Is scattered all
over the country. The loss is roughly
calculated at half a million sterling, and
the end is not yet. While / was in FL
Psso the Governor OF Chihuahua was
urging Mr.. Crockett to run trains over
a certain part OF the line assuring him
that the line was clear OF rebels. AT the
same time the rebels threatened to de-
stroy more bridges II any train should
start
The Southern Pacific Of Mexico has
also lost the greater part OF its traffic.
For long time II has been running
at loss, and to repair the damage
done would cost 80 Col Randolph. the
president, estimates, 100000 Between
the two parties the position OF any bust
ness is difficult and dangerous; that of
4 railway in the heart OF the rebel
country is desperate indeed.
AS I walked the streets OF Monterey
and saw the dead lie stark and pitiful
after the fight, the same thought came
to me which had been provoked in
rebel camps. among men OF refinement
and education who have given up their
usual occupations for the savage JOY
of civil war: What a waste, What
meaningless folly"
TO give ones life FOR ones country in
good cause is the best end that can
befall.
For how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes OF his fathers
And the temples of his gods7'
Wars there will be 20 long as there
are wrongs, real or imaginary. to be
rghted; so long as some people have
,shat other people want. Also. while
men have red blood in them, enough will
be found ready to die In war. and tho
world will rightly honor them. saying
they died well. But this civil war In
Mexico is so futile. There are no prin-
ciples at stake. no national objects to
fight for. No cause can be advanced,
no problem finally settled by the VIC
tory Of either side.
Mexico In one respect resembles France
tNAf hA ion oil ha