The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30
Paul H.B. d'Estournelles de Constant
in Remarkable Book Dissects
the United States

> 'N
1t was conceived or im%provised in
opposition to modern ideas:
These In reality are a reversion to
true architectural traditions, In which
q garden or landscape served as a
harmonious and health giving sur
rounding for the habitation. New
York can boast neither a tree moi q
single charm Of nature. 1t consists
Of cement cubes and caissons built
as high as possible. placed side by
side and separated only by long name
less streets crossing one another at
right angles"
The effect Of the s~kyscraper ne finds
not only aggressive but demoraliz-
ing, for at the base of q skyscraper
"a Wild street becomes a mere alley,
a ditch OF a well. Man counts for
less; the poor are still poorer and
drop Out Of sight"
NJ. d'Estournelles de Constant does
not treat his subjects In a consecu-
tive manner. He takes up an idea
just when and where IL strikes him,
jumping from a Mexican war and its
dangers to the Pan-American Bureau
at Washington, both on the same
page. In discussing Mexican affairs
In connection with this country he
writes:
THE day may come when several
out or the twenty-seven Mexican
provinces. tired Of insecurity and i'm
potence and led away by the unparai-
leled success OF States that are grow
ing rich next door TO them but across
h frontier. will claim the right to be
conquered as an advantage to them
selves or will simply ask for that
Of taking a vote Of tho people to decide
on their nationality. Personally I be-
lieve that II the United States 20 on
extending indefinitely they will
weaken and end by q split. Even sup.
posing that some Of the Mexican prov
inces want to yield themselves up and
that all that has to be done Is to take
thom all the moro pressure will have
to be brought to bear on the others
which remain refractory"
As for President Wilson's action in
regard to Huerta our author writes:
president Wilson did not care to
extend his hand to a murderer who,
unlike Diaz. was not even a fortunate
soldier. He declined to give his in
dorsement to crime or his confidence
to q temporary and obscure state Of
things: and yet his opponents accused
him Of having scruples and acting as
an intellectual instead Of as a states
man. 1t seems to be forgotten that
Europe herself was In no hurry to
recognize the Portuguese revolution,
the accession Of the King Of Servia
and even the Chinese revolution. 1t Is
forgotten that President Porfrio Diaz
himself had to wait nearly a year be-
fore President Hayes recognized him
on behalf Of the United States In
1873"
Like many another traveller, the
author was struck by what he saw OF
American was~tefulness:
1T will perhaps be said that the
I admire so much cannot
last: that for want of provident and
far seeing management they will
soon be exhausted and that the fat
years will soon be followed by lean
ones. The day no doubt will come
when America will be thickly popu-
lated, but the people will then be
better educated and more ingenious
n they will no longer eat their corn
in the blade. The earth is not so
Easy to kill as some suppose.
Whatever may be said about Il I
wonder where Americas productive
capacity will stop. seeing how enter-
prising and methodical the people are
and how greatly they have simplifed
their methods. There a be no doubt
that they are wasteful and not very
careful. In personal matters the lack
Of order among Americans is enough