Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-04-17
LEARNING ABOUT MEXICO.

is there that blood will be shed if the
worst comes. The German crisis is
rot so serious, so far as actual fight
ing is concerned. The following in
teresting editorial is from the Savan-
nah Morning News;
Whatever else the pursuit of Villa
may be accomplishing, it certainly is
teaching the American people a great
deal about Mexico. Just as the great
war has made Verdun and Ypres-
which Tommy Atkins calls "Wipers"-
and Przemyst and Erzerum well
known to the whole world, so is Gen.
Pershing making part of Mexico well
known to the people of the United
States. Most folks north of the Rio
Grande had heard of Chihuahua for
many years, chiefly, perhaps, because
Of the ugly little hairless dog that is
named after it, and they know about
Mexico City and Vera Cruz, but there
are lots of things they have learned
i'll the last few weeks about the desc
late country over which American
cayalrymen are speeding that they did
not know before.
1t has come as a surprise to many of
them that the cavalrymen have actual
ly had to face snow, that much of the
pursuit has been over high land, and
that although more than 300 miles
from the border at Columbus, n. NJ.
the United States troops are really no:
very far into Mexico after all. Maybe
the general ignorance about the coun
try has led to the belief that it could
be speedily conquered and pacified
and with comparatively small force.
in event Of war with the United States.
1t is tue that Vera Cruz and all the
other important ports and even Mexi-
co City, might be taken quickly, but
there would still be a lot of Mexico
that would be full of bad Mexicans,
eager to get shot at an American
uniform.
Americans who a few weeks ago
knew nothing of Spanish are learn
ing to roll the Err" in Parral, and
even are pronouncing the I'll" in Villa
as if Tie sister letters we're a ~"
They are fond of quoting the old
saying that the time to watch a Mex
lean closest is when he is smilinc.
They have made incursions into the
Mexican manner of thinking, so they
believe, and many of them are will
irg to spend half hour any day
airing their information about tho
mental processes of the men they
call "greasers," and asserting that
"one American regular could handle
a dozen Of them"
War has ever been a teacher Of
geography, history and customs. It
was so in the conflict between the
United States and Mexico in the
forties. 1t is so in the present great
war in Europe. And the pursuit of
Villa is likewise teaching geography,
history and customs of Mexico for the
reason that the interest of the aver
age American centers largely right
now in Mexico. If it were not for
the trouble south of the border and
for the presence of American soldiers
there the newspapers might fill their
columns with stories of Mexico thai
would go unread; but under present
circumstances even the history of
Mexico is news; and the people who
a. other times would care nothing
about 1t at all are anxious to know
now 1t is that with spring blushinc
over the broad expanse of the Unit.
ed States our soldiers have had to
wrap up warmly down in the sup
posedly hot country of the Mexican.
The newspapers, because thew like
to serve popular interest are glad 10
be the means of satisfying the pub
Tic demand for facts about Mexico
and Mexicans and the experiences il
battle, on the trail and along the line
Of communications, of the American