The Washington times., 1914-02-08
ConStitutionaIist Chief of Staff
Declares Mexican War Is
Prompted by Principles for
Which Americans Fought.

Bandits? Brigands? Do | look like
one? I'm rebel, a real rebel
This. accompanied by the eXcitablt
gesticuIations characteristic of tn,
Latin. caused the speaker, a dappel
little man of possibly thirty-five years
to rise 10 mis- full height. His we'll
eroomed mustachio. curled upward n
| both ends. bristled with the enthusiasm
OF its owner.
OF course, everyone about the emo
tionaI individual agreed that he did moi
look bandit, a brigand, or anythoins
OF the sort. That he was a rebel, {
real rebel. It is unanimously agreed
The man was no other than Juan Me,
Dina, chief of staff of one of the most
famous of the Mexican rebel leaders
Pal Cho Villa. Standing in Peacock al
lev. in the midst of luxurious furnish
inGs and a getting studded by brilliant.
ly gowned groups of women and fash
ionably dressed men, the real rebcp
did not look out of place.
He wears his evening clothes, made
by Fifth avenue tailor, with that in
desCribabIe poise which distinguishes a
others similarly attired. He is, oil
course. Enthusiastically Spanish-Amer-
lean through and through, olive-com-
plexioned, with jet black>hair and eyes,
and formal from alpha to omega.
Twice Mayor of Juarez.
Twice, he has been mayor Of Juarez
and though he does not speak English
f1uently, his association with Ameri-
cans along the border has given him a
tToken command of the language, not
unattractive.
Medina has served in the thickest of
most of the battles in which the forces
of mis- famous commander. Villa have
engaged since 1910. He was in command
OF the rebel forces at the battle of Aqua
Prieta and admirably acquitted himself
in the eyes of his countrymen and
American friends on that occasion.
The idea that the rebels are waging
Il comic opera warfare with men typical
OF Uncle Sans "hoboes," Is dispelled
instantly on meeting Medina. He tells
you convincingly that he is a fairly
good specimen of the men who are
fighting Huerta. He talks Mexican and
American politics. discusses sociology
and economics, and, in word, springs
a surprise. on the interviewer with every
other sentence.
That currency bill alone is sufficient
to make Woodrow Wilson's administra-
ton go down in history as the one in
which great benefit came TO the Ameri-
can people," declared Medina, springing
one of his first surprises. He did not
stop with the mere laudation of the
new currency system, but went into de-
tail as to the benefits to be derived
from It. told how certain classes would
be pleased with it and how it would
effect other stratas of society.
Fighting for Principle
I'VE in Mexico are fighting for a
great principle" he declared. What
the French revolution was to France
socially, the Mexican revolution is to
M country economically.
France had the class problem. We
have the agrarian problem. This revT-
luton is merely a continuance 1f the
CHe which placed Madero at the prezi-
dency of the republic, only to be mur-
Gered as the result Of the reaction
against him.
Our fight is the fight of the ensls yea
pa sses against the landowners. You
realize that in Mexico a small percent
aEe of the people own all the lan1 We
are fghting for a division and just disT
trlDutiOn of our lands. for an "ppnT-
tunity TO live decently, to raise our
Ci' ldren and exist pcaceably md COM
furtably. 1t is a fight similar 10 the
ono your fOrefathers waged against