The Washington herald., 1914-05-17

4, taking OF the city and the forces OF the
| Americans there. We learned to our utter
amazement that there were not less than
| 10000 American troops engaged in the
| taking Of Vera Cruz, and that murder
| and rapine had been rampant ever since.
We assured the major that ne was mis-
taken on the last point. and professed
ignorance on the first, declaring that II
was our understanding that there were
not quit. so many soldiers there as yet.
Anxious About Aviators.
All talk about the number and conduct
! Of the American troops had been carried
on in the hearing Of the men. This was
| impressed upon me when he started to
| inquire about the hydroaeroplane. about
which he showed a real uneasiness and
! talked In undertones
why Is It," Mai. Espenosa asked. that
| American air fiiers. when they sail over
| us, do not shoot Us or drop bombs? Do
| they think We can shoot them with our
rifles? We have good marksmen in our
company, but our shots seem not to
reach them. They pay no attention. and
fly on over US, seeing everything We do,
but not trying to stop US.
Our Reroplane men are not successful.
We have had several. and they always
| seem to come to grief. Your men are
so sure. and stay up DO long. and travel
so fast. What would prevent them from
dropping their bombs into a big camp or
, into Mexico City? Gen. Mas Is greatly
disturbed over them. He says he fears
they will come over his camp and find
out where his men are and how many
he has"
How many has hep Richardson asked
'Quien sabe." The reply and manner
was the same as We met with whenever
We asked definite information as to
numbers. Today when the navy niers
discovered for the first time that there
were several bullet holes in the wings
OF their hydro-aeroplanes, l wondered II
the efforts of Mai. Espanosa's marksmen
had not been more effective than he
knew. The aviators say that they would
not be able to hear rife shots because
Of the noise from their engines. and that
bullets penetrating the planes would not
be noticed until later.
Dcsolation. of War.
The desolatIon which the internecine
war in Mexico has wrought was horribly
apparent In those sections which had
been under cultivation. The war has
drawn from the fields thousands upon
thousands Of laborers-peons who either
have been forced into the army or have
found life with the rife easier than life
with the plow-or the wooden crutch.
which Is still used to tear up ground on
most OF the farms in Mexico. Acre
after acre We passed through of the
richest soil ina ginable, field after field
In which lonely cattle, which have es-
capped the pilferer, wander deep in uncut
and seeding hay; miles of black soil.
awaiting only the touch of the agrIcul-
turist to bring wealth and plenty to the
laborer. These are not deserted farms,
such as one may find in New England
and the South. They are depopulated
farms. rich as yellow gold in possibili-
ties now barren as dead oak.
After returning from our trip, l was
much interested TO know IL the soldiers
and near-soldiers We had seen were of
the same stamp as those with which
Richardson had served. Apparently. with
they were.
The Mexican Soldier.
THE Mexican soldier depends for his
efficiency upon his leader" Richardson
said. THE real worth of the Mexican
soldier cannot be judged from his conduct
under present conditions. He now is
forced into the army, poorly equipped.
undrilled. and tyrannized until there is
no real man left. This is the condition in
their revolutions. Possibly a spirit of pa
triotic defense against a foreign invasion
will raise up a different class of fighting
against the Americans IL they try to go
into Mexico. The fact that under the rule
Of Diaz it was a crime to have a rife in
your possession has resulted in a people
who have no craftsmanship to speak Of
There is no effective administration or
organization In the Mexican army. They
have no signal corps. no quartermaster's
department. no commissary. Messages
are exchanged by courier. Women camp
followers supply the commissary depart
ment. Their Red Cross department Is
almost as good as none at all. Their
nurses are not trained for the work and
hardly know first-aid principles.
They have plenty of artillery. but
very little ammunition and poor marks
men. They have very little real ability
to handle their artillery. While there
will be some difficulty to equip a large
force of volunteers against the United
States the chief trouble will be in rife
delay means $1,000 rounds more man.
ufactured for that contingency The Mex
lean officers boast that they can obtain
unlimited supplies of arms and ammuni-
ton from Japanese interests.
sfse Of Huerta's Array.
my best guess is that Huerta now has
about 1Z00o rurales. $4,000 regulars with
fair training, and about 5000 irregulars
or unframed soldiers and pillagers.
Huerta claims to have about 10000 men.
This claim rs ridiculous.
'Huerta plans to have between 1000
and so.o0o men at Jalapa or wherever
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