Evening star., 1915-11-10
FAMINE IN MEXICO CITY
CALLED THING OF PAST"
State Department Gives Out Sum-
mary of Conditions in the
Republic.

The State Department has given out
the following summary of conditions in
Mexico, based on it's most recent dis
patches:
Conditions in Mexico are such as
might be expected in any country that
has passed through about six years OF
civil war. Those hopeful for the res
toration of order and of Mexico's for
mer prosperity believe that there now
is a chance for them to improve.
In Mexico City the famine is thing
of the past. Now, through government
officials, there is food for everybody,
and the improvement of the railroad
service makes 1t certain that food con-
ditions will be better every day Inc
government has been maintaining
forty-six stations where food is free,
consisting of portion of soup, frijoles
and bread, distributed daily to every
woman or child who comes. In addi-
tion there are ffty-six commissaries
where food is sold to those in better
circumstances at cost. Further, there
are ten dining rooms where meals are
served free. Conditions are so much
better that the government 1s conSid-
ering the reduction of the number of
these free stations.
Business Is Improving.
"W hile business is not nOurlShlng,
compared with former years in Mexico
City, it is probably better than it has
been at any other time since the trou-
BILE started. The stores are open and
most of them are well stocked, in con-
trast with the conditions of a year and
half ago, at the end of the Huerta
regime.
Restoration of railroad service
throughout the country will not only
be the big step toward resuming nor
NAL conditions, but it will also be the
barometer of peace and order in the
country. Railroads have been in the
last few weeks transferred from the
military to the civil authorities. The
latter are now attempting to get the
railroads on a running schedule. work.
ing under the most discouraging handi-
caps. OF the former equipment OF the
great national system of railroads
more than two-thirds of the engines,
cars, rolling stock and stations have
been destroyed. One half. at least,
of what is left is still being used by
the military. For instance. on the road
sleeper is available. and. accordingly,
has an alternate schedule. This is
better schedule than on any other
stretch of the system. Shortage Of
Ing back the resumption of the normal
commerce of the country.
Freight Congestion at Vera Cruz.
The warehouses at Vera Cruz are al
ready crowded to their capacity: the
Ward line boats have resumed weekly
sailings, and they are loading hundreds
of tons there every trip. The railroad
is helpless to move more than small
portion of freight toward the interior.
Practically every mile of railroad has
been repaired by the different armies.
In the capital and in all of the large
cities and towns under the control of
the Carranzistas, law and order have
been restored as rapidly as possible.
Some parts of the rural districts still
have rowing bands of bandits, which
the soldiers have been unable to appre-
hend and exterminate. Various bandits
hanging from telegraph poles on the
railroad right of way, however. show
that progress is being made in their
determination"