Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-11-24
A LETTER FROM KARL zAHN

a private letter to us from Karl
Zahn, or SO much of it as we deem
will be of interest to his hosts OF
Wausau friends. Mr.. Zahn does not
mince matters with reference to the
troubles in Mexico, as all know who
heard his talk in the Presbyterian
church last summer. Mr.. and Mrs.
Zahn will again take up their home
in Ell Paso, Texas. The letter IS as
| follows:
Ell PAso, TEXAS, Nov. II, 1914
MY DEAR Mr.. THAYER:
You have probably been expecting
a letter from me for some time past
and l have been more than willing to
write it, but upon our arrival here
after beautiful trip through Canada
and down the Pacific Slope / found
that after few days of visiting here
1 thought best to make run to the
City of Mexico to look over the
ground. Frankly, that was about all
there was to look over. You never
saw such triste place in your life.
Our trip, taken in leisurely man.
ner, was real treat. We were always
rested and were really in shape to en-
joy it in every way. We saw G. j. and
DIN. Winton at Minneapolis as well
as several other Wausau people. Also
saw John Lind whom we met at Ver-
acruz. / saw people that / knew in
nearly every place we stopped and |
was impressed with the littleness OF
this old world. 1t isn't so very big
after ALL All of Canada was taking
on the military spirit since war had
Just been declared in Europe. We
spent about month along the coast
beginning at Seattle and ending at
San Diego which is getting pretty
close to Old Mexico. Finally reached
Ell Paso, Sept. 10th leaving for Mexico
City on the 20th. Mrs. Zahn remained
here since travel was not very safe not
to say decidedly uncomfortable.
Everything went well until we were
about eight hundred miles in the
interior and then, without explana-
tions or apologies, we Were thrown
out Of the train at Zacatecas at
O'Clock in the morning and were unable
to make any move in any direction
until the following Friday. We had
all grown weary of idle promises and
made up our minds that since there
were no trains we must look up some
method of getting to Aguascalientes.
You see Villa had stopped all of his
rolling stock from going farther south
than Zacatecas, while Carranza had
forbidden trains leaving the City of
Mexico to go farther north than
Aguascalientes, consequently we were
obliged to arrange for our own trans
portation between these points. We
commandeered seven mules and a
wagon and went overland, arriving at
Aguas in two days pretty well tired
out but glad, nevertheless, to get
there. Nearly had my head shot off
at Zacatecas but that was to be ex-
pected, SO l just said "luolsy, lucky,
lucky" and dismissed the incident.
| We five Americans) reached the
city on the following Sunday night
glad to get there. We considered we
were comparatively safe.
l remained in Mexico City just a
month and got out just before the
armed conflict between the Carran-
cistas and Villistas. He'll has broken
loose again in Mexico and the end is
not yet. Mr.. Thayer, / do not be-
lieve you have much sympathy with
my views but you will give me credit
for being honest in my beliefs con-
cerning Mexico. The Wilson policy
has accomplished nothing but the
elimination of Huerta which was a
very small part of Mexico's troubles.
| told you we ought to have peace for
at least three months after the cleo
tion. We find now that they can't
even get together long enough to
have arrangements made for an cleo
tion. I'll tell you, our people at
Washington haven't the situation
sized up rightly. They believe that
Carranza and Villa are working for
the people, the downtrodden of Mex
ico; it is to laugh. That is the whole
mistake of our policy toward Mexico.
We do not understand the people.
For every Mexican that you will find
who is working for Mexico and her
welfare and the welfare of her people,
i. e.. for her poor and down-trodden,
/ will find you two snow-wnite me-
groes. That is pretty strong isn't it?
However strong statement, it is
my firm belief after having lived
among them for four years. What l
am endeavoring to say is just this :
There is no patriotism in Mexico.
Their own people and papers say so
and surely they ought to know.
Mexicans of the better class say that
lust so long as there are any Mexi-
cans left there will be no end OF
strife. The peon says that Mexico
will have peace when there is moth
ing more to steal. i wish that
might grecite to you some os the
things that are being done in the
name of Constitutionalism in Aexico
| City. You wouldn't believe them.
They seem incredible. They are true
nevertheless. Huerta had people
shot who plotted against the govern
ment as represented by him. Car.
rama is having people shot for steal.
ing bread to keep from starving
Proven cases of actual need. Which
is the greater criminal in your minds
1 ,ax~ll .fNa al ~ocac in, oroa