The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-06

ceived the following letter from mer-
chant of Mexico city describing the
famine conditions and the political
troubles in the capital:
MEXICO CITY. February 10.
DEAR Mr.. -: You ask me how bust
ness is here, am frank to say that 4,
could not be much worst To make the
situation clear, let me review II as IL
IL to-day.
Don Nenustiaup CaIrauza. furious Al
Mexico city b.caus. of the unpopulari,y
which he earned the first line he was IN
control here is thinking of withdrawiug
his troops from the city. cutting uf the
capitals railway communication with
both Vera Cruz and the northern from
tier. and leaving the people here with
the Zapstistas in control but with fam
inc staring them in the face for lack OF
traffic connections
Even AT the present time. with the
Mexican Railway Company line open
10 Vera Cruz, vheat bread in any form
IL unobtainable. meat is worth II peso
and a half the kilo 90 cents for two
pounds), fish is two pesos the kilo "a"
cents a pound), eggs are worth eight
cents apiece. charcoal. the only fuel
available for cooking, is sold AT five
cents for two pounds. and so oil.
trying to start bread riots already. and
on one or two occasions recently the
police have had to auell mcipient dis
turbances with their clubs. The great
majority OF the arrests are for theft, as
people are stealing to keep alive.
One source of supplies.
III the Carranzistas abandon Mexico
and cut of the northern and eastern
communications they will leave the cap
ital with only the Toluca region OF the
State of Mexico 20 draw upon for sup
plies. as the state of Morelos has long
ago been laid waste hy the revolution
The result. II is believed. will be famine
II the condition lasts.
about three days ago the Carran-
zista military autl critics began 10 re-
pair the line Of the railway from Ome-
tusco. forty miles east of here ON the
main line Of the Mexican 70 Vera Cruz,
TO Pachuca. which is about due north
OF here. From pachuca they have a
line already in good condition running
westward TO Tula Estate OF Hidalgo),
which is about ffty miles north of
Mexico city on the railway line to III
paso.
when these repairs are fnished-and
they should require about n week more
operations from Vera Cruz to-
ward the north OF the republic without
touching NJ Mexico city or having to
preserve this capital. VIII ch Is unfrendly
to their cause and needs "A large garrison
to control II as one OF their strategic
bases, They can run their troop trains
from Vera Cruz to Ometusco. thence to
Pachuca and Tula. and then on toward
the northern frontier over the Central
IF they carry out this plan they then
viii use the .000 or more men they have
here az garrison for service in the north.
ern campaign. cutting the railway lines
out of Mexico city. letting the Zapatistas
come in again from the south. and pay
ing no more attention to the capital
which they consider has always cost
them more trouble than il WAS worth,
until the campaign IN the north is
nm shed.
prominent Carranzistas who recently
have come here from Vera Cruz. among
whom is Minister of Public Instruction
Felix Palavicini. have not been sparing
in their threats OF what would be done
10 punish this capital for It's anti-rcvolu-
IiOnary tendencies, and especially for
it's dislike of the faction led by their
whiskered chief. to the extent of even
villa and Zapata being welcomed as "A
change when he was gone
Among the little slaps at Mexico city
IN which Mr.. Carranza has INDUCED WAS
the recent change OF the capital OF the
republic the Carranza controlled por-
ton of the republlc) to Vera Cruz. the
removal from their positions without
substitutes being appointed of all the
public school teachers OF the Federal
district, leaving more than $4,000 chi!
lren out of school, and the removal of
All the local government employees.
about 12,00O in number at a modest
estimate, because they did not fee with
CarranEa to Vera Cruz
"Another and still harder slap was
Carranza's declaration that the Chihua-
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