Evening star., 1915-04-04
Must Be Purchased in u. S.


Must Be Purchased in u. S.
'N hat then will be necessary to re
lleve the consequent distress and pre-
vent, perhaps. the death of thousands
from starvation? In normal times il
requires 100000 tons of corn to feed
these 13,500,000 over period OF eight
months. With the visible supply but
$1,000 tons, this leaves a shortage of
i,f25,000 tons or 3S,375.000 bushels
This corn must be purchased from the
United States The present market
price laid down at points along the
northern frontier is 80 cents (gold)
bushel. II we allow Is cents (gold)
bu5hel for distribution cost through
out the various parts of the republic
we have a charge of sI.05 tgold) per
bushel. which VIII necessitate the ex-
pendlture of ss1.3i3,15o tgold) to pre-
vent devastating famine. BY that
time the purchasing power of the Mex
ican peso Will have dropped to 10 cents
Tgold). SO. due to the unconscionabIe
ignorant and selfish attitude of the
military elements of all factions, Mex
co will find herself called upon to ex-
pend 413.437.5e0 pesos TO prevent the
arger part of her population from
starving to death.
Where is this money to come from
With bottom scraped treasury and
white bled country, Mexico must throw
herself upon the charity of the world
Not only have they taken away the
man and the farm animal from the
iand and thus produce these dire re-
suits. but many instances have been
reported where the different military
commanders have actually permitted
the horses and mules TO feed on the
Young and growing corn in such sec
ttons where 1t may have been planted
while droughts in the north and east
have completed the work of ruin in
Augurated by these men. Stored grain
has also been burned in considerable
Quantities by the vandals. and the rec
"rds show that in the face of all this
ONE selfish military leaders have ac-
e4a!ly exported grain to enrich them
elves. Due 10 the paralysis of the
means of communication throughout
stores Of corn and grain as were raised
and saved could not be transported
rom the regions Of production to those
% consumption, causing waste Of
ine too small stock hand
Attitude of Military.
That these conditions are the direct
result of the wanton and selfish atti-
tude of the military leaders of different
factions who claim TO be fighting for
the liberties of the people has been
made most plain of late by the conduct
of Cen A1varo Cbregon. acting under
the directions of Gen. Nenuetiano Car
ranza. Gen. Obregon entered the CITY
OF Mexico January 29 last The fol-
lowing day the water supply of the city
was cut The price of foodsturs al
ready very high, due to the deprecia-
tion in the purchasing power of Mexf-
AN currency. rose to exorbitant fig
uTes. but Cen. Obregon, acting under
The direct orders of Gen. CarranZa, en-
deavored in every way TO prevent the
ttroduction OF foodstuffs into Mexico
city.
Refused Cars for Transportation,
Not only did he refuse the city coun-
cf railway cars for transporting such
stocks as were available in regions con-
tiRuous TO the capital and controlled by
mis- troops. but he ordered his outposts
20 confscate such as were brought in
from neighboring regions on the backs
Of mules, horses or donkeys. There is
q n abundance of evidence pointing to
he fact this inhunian conduct was
part of q deliberate campaign to starve
the populace INTO enlisting in the ranks
of his army
when the inevitable consequences
Of this plan began to evince themselves
and the people cried for food, Gen.
bbregon addressed them through the
press and by means of printed posters
informing them that the food shortage
was due TO spectators and to selfish
ness of the wel1-to-do classes He i'm
n"aiately decreed special tax levy of
en,1U".'o0 pesos to relieve what he had
the enroutery TO characterize the des-
Berdte situation of the city's poor
W hen the merchants refused to pay
ihIs tax he invited the rabble to take
nat they could by Iooting and sack
n@, informing them over his sigma
iGrc that n this general iooting began
~ would march out Of the city with his
loops. not tiring a single shot to prevent
he mob from taking what they wished
Sut the people We're not deceived They
refused TO be used as his tools The
Merchants OF the foreign colonies raised
relief fund of more than $500. 900 in
a few days by voluntary subscription
and the acute stage of the crisis passed
Foodstuff Prices High.
Prices Of foodstuffs in Mexico City
are two and three hundred per cent
higher than in normal times and still
rising. due TO the Vaccinations of mil
'tary leaders OF the type of Obregon,
which unfortunately includes practically
all What n true Of the food situation
~ Mexico CITY applies also to the fuel
situation.
.T''e spirii which viii starve a peo-