davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1915-10-03
THE PEoN- ON "A. VISIT To TOWN IN PEACE TIME

of the. peon population. In a broad
way. two distinct policies have been in
the mind of the revolutionary leaders
and the factionalG chiefs. One is for
outright confiscation in .the form Of
naturalization of the land. The other
is for partition or distribution, with
compensation to the land owners, and
without actually dispossessing them
all.
The naturalization plan has some.
very able advocates. who know theJ
poems and who are sincere in believing
that this Is the only means of satisfy
ing them so that the country will have
internal peace. The cite the confsca-
ton of the property of the Catholic
Church under Juarez in Justification Of
their plan. ,--. -...>
The proposition is to confscate in the
name of the people, regardless. Of indi-
vidual rights or foreigners properties
One of the leading advocates Of this
plan complacent1y remarks in a recent
pamphlet. that the revolutionists have
the right to do justice, and that the Eu-
ropean nations are sufficiently occupied
in settling their complicated and some
what dubious affairs so as not to at
tempt to interfere. Apparently the pos
sibility of the United States objecting
is not taken into consideration. a.
The second plan, that of partition or
distribution of the land. with: compen-
satton to former owners, has been sup
ported by some of the Carranza leaders,
but there is a. good deal OF vagueness
about carrying out the plan in detail.
Unquestionably after their experience
during the last four years. most of the
big land owners in Mexico who still
keep a nominal title to the land they
once held would be glad to accept any
form of compensation which a govern
ment with the moral and material ca
pacity to enforce its DEGREES should pro-
pose They are. of course. pessimistic
about the capacity of the peon as a
small land owner, and privately insist
that the old feudal system, under which
they themselves ~fourished,- is the only
one adapted to the millions of poems.
Yet they realize that feudalism has
gone for good and that the haciendas
are bound to be broken up.
Both plans of solving the land ques-
tion have more or less of state social
ism in them, although one of them
could be worked out on the basis of
which England solved the Irish land
problem and Ireland was freed from
Evening star., 1915-10-03

more prosperous than at any time in
his life. He spent the money reckless
1y, but in doing this he seems to have
had an instinct of sound political econ
omy. The instinct told him that II he
did not spend it the day might come
when 1t would be worthless.
That day arrived a few. weeks. ago,
when villa currency was quoted at Il
cent on the dollar. There are many
millions of this stuff on both sides of
the Rio Grande, but the Mexican poems
have not saved it. Most of 1t probably
is in the hands of SPECTATORS.
= carranza paper money of which un-
told millions also have been issued,
may be quoted little higher, but there
are so many issues that are alleged to
be genuine constitutionalist money
ume is beyond computations The Car
rama currency also has had purchasing
power in the sections occupied by Car
rama troops, but in northern Mexico
it never seemed to have quite the at
tractiveness' of Villa currency. On the
whole, however. the sCarranzista poems
have been able to buy something with
the pay. received. ~
In one respect the poems who have
formed part t<of the armed forces have
done excefIently. Most of them have
been able to get a horse and arms
and ammunition. Many Of them have
obtained at least two rifles and con-
siderable quantity of cartridges. These
they have hidden away. This is es-
pecially the case in the northern states
and near the border:
The conditions. of daily life in the
country could not be expected to i'm
prove in the midst of devastating war
and anarchy; yet. with all the draw
backs and all the sordidness of the
struggles among the revolutionary fac
tions, there. have. been some evidences
that in the future the peon would get
something in the way of living condi-
tions. Military service and even or
ganized brigandage under the guise of
war seem to have given the peon a
little confidence In himself This is
why, among other reasons. the Mex
ican problem is not going to be set
tied merely be representatives of the
several pan-American countries and
the United States finding a set of de
facto authorities possessing the mate
rial and moral capacity necessary to
protect the lives and property of ma
tionals and foreigners.
The land question is still the great
issue in Mexico, and it Is a problem
Evening star., 1915-10-03

caused to be executed a few weeks ago.
This was Tomas Urbina, the Durango
murderer.
Urbina, who was one OF the most ca :
pable bushwhacking fighters that the
revolution developed. took possession
of a splendid estate known as Las
Nievas. He administered II in the
name of the state. and did not under
take to transfer the possession Of the
land to his peon soldiers. although that
prospect always was held out to them
The poems found themselves just where
they had been under the old order;
that is. as tenants.
Gen. Urbina, however, was very liber-
al in his treatment of them. Two
months ago. when he got tired Of fight
ing for Villa, he retired to Las Nievas
Evening star., 1915-10-03
All Wool!

6sE NGLISH cloth is the best in the
S world. German cloth is the
worst Our American cloth is betwixt
and between"
The speaker was a brilliant after.
dinner speaker of New York.
German cloth is thin yet stiff. 1t 10
like a fairly maileable tin. They tell
story ABOUT it.
They say a customer said to a Berlin
clothier the other uay:
Holy. smoke, these all-wool suits
are high"
An, but the quality said the
clothier. Look at the quality, my
dear sir!'
WELL said the customer irresolute-
ly, ri take this brown all-wooi serge
ii you II knock on 10 per cent
"'N nat? SAID the c.otnlei agnast
Knock of 10 per cent? Wnen Eng land
has just maae cotton contrapanu:
Evening star., 1915-10-03
From the Trenches.

NJ OIL. 4. NJ. HOUSE Was talking in
" Cornish. n. H, about the war.
one good thing at least" he said.
lis that the soldiers are fed well.
There's no hunger in the trenches. That
is an excellent thing, indeed.
1T wasn't so in former wars. An
Englishman on his return from the
Boer war was once congratulated by
a friend.
Tim glad to see you're back from
the 'front.' this friend cried.
'''Weli.' said the Engiishman. I knew
that hunger had thinned me down .
lot, but 1 didn't think 1 was so bad
that you could see my back from the
'front.'"
Evening star., 1915-10-03

leans under arms fighting under the
different factional leaders. An estimate
has been made that there are a quar-
ter Off million, but even allowing for
the irregular bands of guerrilla fight
ers. this calculation is a very liberal
one. The rest of the peons-that Is.
the bulk of the fourteen million in
habitants-are not under arms, all
though many of them have not the op-
portunity to follow peaceful callings.
1t is possible that of the poems who
have not been killed there are 10000
who have been under arms. but who
have given up the fighting business.
At the outside there may be 100000
poems. therefore. who have seen actual
military service of some sort or other.
The women and other camp follows rs
might bring the total of those who have
Evening star., 1915-10-03

passed out Of sight toward the burst
ing death blasted from the mouths of
the Italian cannon. wondered why
the Austrians did not respond. Their
position was good and they had ample
support: but not once did 1 see a flash
of light or hear an explosion in an
swer to the challenge from the valley.
"A heel crunched behind me and
dropped into the bushes. A group of
three Austrian and one German officers
came close to where. I. lay and stood
on rise of ground overlooking the
scene below. Through night glasses
they regarded the bursting jets of
flame In the distance. Each lone, held
his watch in his hand and frequently
consulted 1t. then turned eager eyes
toward a dark ridge I had heretofore
not noticed. 1t was In the air-an at
mosphere OF tense. rigid suspense.
Evening star., 1915-10-03
al Questions and Social Problems of Mexico

taken part in the revolution up to half
q million.
These half million poems. as warfare
goes in Mexico, have not Jared SO
badly, according to their standards Of
comfort They had, in the first place.
the opportunities for loot and plunder
which were so plentiful. until there was
nothing left to plunder.
In the state of Morelos Zapata's fol-
lowers have been able to provide fair
ly well for themselves. Their re-
sources have been increased occasion
ally by Zapata's raids on Mexico City.
1t is also to be said that in this small
state where the land monopoly was
Evening star., 1915-10-03

Even the officers, old in the game of
war. waited in ill-concealed anxiety for
the consummation of the strategy.
att came, A watch case snannad and
on the instant a new burst of fire
sprang downward from the ridge they
had been watching. sprang downward
like pitchfork lightning, and then I
knew why the Austrian batteries had
not responded and why the cavalry had
gone forward at fast. gallop. 1 could
not see the slaughter-I didn't want
to-but 1 followed the flash of guns.
saw the fire In the valley turn from
the smaller spits of flame from the
rifles of the attackers, and knew, with
out technical Mica knowledge of strategy.
"One by one the cannon in the valley
ceased firing. Finally only three con-
tinued. and another fifteen minutes saw
the last OF those. The watching off,
GERS turned about with grimly smiling
faces and returned to their quarters
81 wisely remained under cover. Two
Evening star., 1915-10-03
BY CHARLES M. PEPPER.

E1HE reassembling of the pam
American group to administer
on the affairs Of Mexico raises
q some questions which hereto
fore have had little public discussion.
They relate to the prospects Of the
peon population.
The pan-American conferees In seek
ing to determine what faction In Mex
leo possesses the material and moral
capacity necessary to protect the lives
and property Of nationals and foreign
ers. skillfully avoid embarrassment for
themselves. They do not undertake to
say what the peon shall get out of the
anarchy and revolution Of the last four
years. That would be to Interfere with
the internal affairs of Mexico, which
all Of the Latin American countries de-
clare is not their intention.
-
Some Of these countries have land
questions of their own and social prob
LENS very similar to those which exist
in Mexico. Consequently they have
every reason for not wanting to de-
termine to what extent II at all the
revolution has justified itself in de-
stroying land monopoly. The question
for them is simply one that relates to
de facto authorities claiming to be the
government of Mexico.
The United States. while 1t is acting
with the pan-American conferees and is
thus unloading some of Its own bur-
dens on the Latin American countries.
nevertheless is in different position
from them. Moral support and phys
ical encouragement In the form of
arms and ammunition have been given
the revolutionary factions. The be-
nevolent attitude has been that this
country should manifest its sympathy
with the peon population in their ef-
forts to acquire the land and enjoy po-
Iitical rights previously denied.
1t was assumed that because their
struggle was just it should have the
support of the American people. On
this account, there is likely to be a
spirit of inquiry developed as to the
prospects of the poems in Mexico COM
ing into their own when the pam
American conferees find set of de
facto authorities whom they feel justi-
fed in recognizing.
There are now possibly 10000 Mex
Evening star., 1915-10-03

with the Intention. It was said, Of dis
tributing the land among the people.
and his disbanded troops were sup
posed to be occupying. it. When villa
took four hundred soldiers to Las Me.
vas and executed Urbina and his staff
it was not because Of difference OF
opinion over the land question, but be-
cause Urbina had a large quantity of
loot obtained at the sacking of Duran
go which he refused to consider as
state property, the same as the land.
In the state of Durango the Arr!eta
brothers, with their bandit army. occu-
pied most of the great estates. but did
not conf1scate them outright. They
merely administered and took the psu-
fruct as personal perquisite.
There was scheme of land distribu-
tion known as the Durango plan, which
Evening star., 1915-10-03

tion can be freed from meeting the na-
tional obligations
If. as the outcome of four years of
revolution and anarchy. there emerges
million peon land proprietors in
Mexico the burden Will not be too
great to bear, and the devastation and
suffering of the last four years will
not have been in vain. Yet in all the
plans for recognising de facto authori-
ties in Mexico apparently nothing IL
to be done to recognize peon land own
their own point of view, the pam
American conferees doubtless are wise
in sidestepping interference with Mexi-
can internal affairs, but this avoidance
will not solve the perplexing problem
poems.
Evening star., 1915-10-03

hours later the captured Italians were
brought in. There were less than 200
of them-smiling, proud young fellows
well equipped and tossing their Jaunty
hats with an air of bravado that could
not be squelched. I ascertained by
listening that these intrepid gunners
had advanced far beyond their COM
rades and seemed to be quite satisfied
with their accomplishment.
The Tyrolese rifiemen returned tri-
umphantly. 1t was their coup that had
won the battle and they were praised
unstintingly by their officers. Compe-
tent-looking men they were at close
range, with an air of GOODNESS and de-
termination lacking in the infantry of
Emperor Joseph's legions. Several of
them were wounded and more were
bodies were lost. That Is popularity
about the Austrians. They will never
desert their dead and wounded.
THE captured enemies were being
placed on the train that brought me
out from Innsbruck. 1 crept along in
the darkness until found an unoc-
cupied car and fattened myself from
view just as the train started =.
ut was extremely difficult to remain
awake, but 1 succeeded until the first
light of dawn flooded the snow caps
with dancing white diamonds. That
was the last I remembered until some
one shook me roughly and cried in my
ears. We had reached Innsbruck
"An Austrian officer was holding my
arm. He handled me none too gently.
but 1 thought it best not to complain.
1 was taken to the station and placed
under triple guard. though I would
not have dared to attempt escape I
asked the sergeant at the door. for a
hearing, but he refused fatty to an
swer me. and I remained there all day.
my meals were brought in and my suit
case was taken from me.
"It would be useless to deny that I
was frightened. l knew every paper in
my bag, and had reliance in my pass
port, but nevertheless, when I.refected
upon the compromising circumstances
surrounding my arrest, 1 could not but
feel that these men would be justified
in assuming that I was a SPY. The
very word made me anxious, and a
hundred times during those hours of
waiting I pictured the fate of Lody
body crumbling to the ground instead
of the corpse Of the famous spy.
About dusk l was taken before a
group Of Austrian officers
We'll. did you see enough to sat
a ss'H little. Seu' one OF 'nem ASKED smiling
In desperation. Immediately
launched into a many-adjectived re-
cital of praise of the Tyrolese rifle
men. Fear colored my sentences until
I imagine I must have sounded like an
Austrian propagator. When I had nm
ished they shook my. hand heartily all
around.
"'we're glad to hear you. praise our
soldiers one of them said, and we
hope you will tell. your American
friends and press that we are not ~
Evening star., 1915-10-03

landlordism. This scheme naturally in
wolves compensation.
Villa. who was commonly assumed to
typify the peon aspiration and who did
typify 1t more than. any other revolu-
tionary chief, believed in state social
ism. He confiscated everything in
sight and undertook to run the con-
f1scated property as a sort of public util-
ity His views on state socialism, how
ever, occasionally underwent modiflca-
lions when some of the big interests
effected private arrangement with
nim.
The most practical of the state So
cialists was Villas old-time bandit
comrade and favorite general, whom he
Evening star., 1915-10-03

started. Every minute I feared dis
covery, but no one visited the fiat car
After while the moon rose and l
could see that we were climp ping. II
was growing colder steadlly. ana L
took a heavy coat sweater from my
suit case to fepulse the chill. Ihe
surrounding scene was wonderful. Far
beneath me as We swung aions at
good pace was a valley thou, a no,
US. rising abruptly on every hand.
were rugged mountains capped with
luxuriant spruce and mr. trees that
gave to the country an appearance OF
impregnability that caused me to won
der how the Garibaldis could ever gain
even a foothold.
"The entire train was in darkness:
Now and then as we diminished speed
for a bridge l could hear a repressed
buzz Of conversation from the car In
front Once group of happy youths
began Dear Heidelberg in quartet. put
a sharp admonition from their superior
instantly hushed the effort.
."The moon had climbed much hirher
now and 1 could see that we were well
up in the mountains. My sweater was
scarcely warm enough. especially when
we passed the frequently occurring
patches of snow.
"At last we stopped. Almost instant
ly hundred or more busy soldiers
surrounded their officers. l took my
suit case and crept into a thicket near
the track from WHICH SoeAN
the scene Before l realized it the
trained men occupied their proper po-
sitions guns ashoulder, and began
their march to the front: - L have
watched our own soldiers drill on many
occasions but the expedition with
which these men moved In the DARK
ness impresses upon me the need OF
many P,attsburg camps before We can
hone to equal their efficiency. There
was no confusion, no hesitation: each
man knew what was expected or MIN
and did his part promptly.
"As was about to maneuver In an
effort to follow the soldiers great
clatter Of stones sounded in my rear
and a column Of Austrian cavalry gal
loped past. l had heard much Of these
men and was eager to see them. They
were strung out in two columns. with
wide intervals. They rode. high in
their saddles, with an ease and grace
noticeable even in that. uncertain light.
They are the boys to defeat the
Italians, heard a German soldier re-
mark, and his comrades agreed en-
Enthusiastically.
From snatches of their conversation
I learned that the Austrian Tyrolese
mounted ridemen. as they are called.
Evening star., 1915-10-03

n :wASH1NGTONIAN who has
IN just returned from Austria tells
~ an interesting story of his ex-
- periences in the Tyrolean
mountains.
4 was proceeding to England by
way Of Switzerland" he says, when.
approaching Innsbruck. we were flag
ged and warned to continue cautiously.
Our train entered the quaint little
town at snail's pace and the reason
therefor Immediately became apparent
"On every hand were German SOL
diers-young. sturdy fellows with
glistening, smiling faces and military
bearing. Thousands of them were
there. perched upon trucks. lying on
fiat cars, in cattle cars and on the
ground. Each man wore a new uni
Evening star., 1915-10-03
Consistent.

Mrs. Exe-Here's an invitation from
Mrs. Boreleigh to, one Of her tiresoms
dinners. hate them.
'Exe-Why not plead q previous en-
gagement?
Mrs. Exe-That would be lie. Edith,
dear. write Mrs. -Boreleigh that We 40.
cept with pleasure.
Evening star., 1915-10-03

was distributed among the families of
the Villa soldiers and those dependent
on them.
have been able to feed their troops
reasonably well. At other times the
soldiers of some of them have Jared as
badly as, the civilian population.
At different periods all the poems
among the armed forces have had
money with real purchasing power.
though it was the product of the nu-
merous printing presses. When Villas
star was in the ascendant the output OF
his paper money manufactures was
quoted as high as 25 cents on the dol
lar.
Commodity prices were in proportion,
and the Villa soldier who was receiving
81 day in currency as his wages was
Evening star., 1915-10-03

most oppressive. something actually
has been done toward giving the
poems stake in the SOIL Many Of
the rich land owners have made an
arrangement for paying monthly. trib-
ute to the Zapatistas. and in these
cases the poems are reported to be in
possession of some land on their own
account. r.'
Villas poems for, time Jared much
better than the other revolutionary
forces. The bandit chiefs talent for
organization was shown when he pro-
vided a regular commssary depart
ment. His soldiers were better fed
than most of the revolutionary troops.
The civilian population-the real poems
in the sphere of Villas operations
also Jared pretty well. Out of the
Evening star., 1915-10-03
The Swiss at Soup.

sse wITZERLAND." said e. Berry
~ Wall. the New York clubman. 'is
the only European country where .
cheerful vacation is now possible.
The Swiss are a very. fine people, Q
very fine people indeed. except in their
restaurants. The Swiss. you know.
yodel their soup"
Evening star., 1915-10-03

THE Peon His Effort Which WRdden
Possesses Material Moral With ShuoThe
Problem Standardization and
Suffering Military Leaders Have Laid Waste
Comtv Rch in NatnaRe sint
Evening star., 1915-10-03

savage as painted. We took the liberty
of examining your baggage and clothes
while awaiting telegraphic report
from your embassy in Vienna regard
ing you. There will be a gentleman to
accompany you to the train and as far
as the Swiss border. Goodbye"
Evening star., 1915-10-03

form Of field gray and the artillery
blocked on the cars was new and dec
GRATED with punches of flowers picked
from the fields by admiring maidens.
Upon learning that we could not
cont'n nue. until all the troops had de-
parted, probably twelve hours. / sue
cumbed to desire to accompany the
soldiers.
Evening star., 1915-10-03

THROUGH the Tyean Mountains With German Ss-A Drill
l Artillery Battle Night When Austrian Position Was Sheed
Advanced Their FenoTe
TrpleCu Swiss
Evening star., 1915-10-03

This was strangely simple. I spoke
German very well. which was a great
advantage and enabled me to learn
that the Germans were destined to
support the Austrian lines not far off.
After dark ! sought a fiat car and lay
down out of sight with my arm
through the spokes of cannon wheel.
Presently a whistle shrieked and we
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-10
WORKING FOR GOOD ROADS.

The cause Of good roads is one OF the most
important before the country today. Prosperity
In many country districts has come as the re-
salt Of good roads and increased opportunities
for communication and transportation that have
resulted The rural sections of Virginia are In.
tsrested In no cause moro vitality than that @,
good roads
The meeting of the Virginia good roads adj
vocstes whose sessions are being held here this
week should and WIFI receive a hearty sympathy
from the city. Those who live in cities are more
interested in rural road conditions than was
once the case This Is so for two reasons:
First. the condition OF any section has become
more vital to the welfare Of the State because
the people have come to realize that the need OF
section fs the need OF the State; the pros
perity OF one section adds to the prosperity OF
ALL Then, too, the city autoist fs practically
dependent for the use OF his investment on the
condition of the country roads We hope better
things for Virginia Will result from the conven.
ton.