El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-08-09
0. 4. LARRAzOLO AND
MALAQU|As MARTINEZ
FAVOR 5, |. REGIMENT
WELL KNOWN SPANlsHlAMERI.
CANS FAVOR PROPOSAL TO
HAVE sPANisH-sPEAkING SOL
DIERs TOGETHER

Strong endorsement of the sugges
ton to have an Observation-Disclosures
regiment in New Mexico WAS given
by o. A, L~arrazol0, we'll known law
yer and orator of Las Vegas. San Mi
guel county, and by Malaqnias Mar
tinez, another Spanish-American lead
er who resides In Taos county.
The Spanish-Americans are dis
tinctly a homeloving people, said
Mr.. Larrazolo. What would be more
comforting to them than to be banded
together in one regiment, speaking
one language, carrying out many OF
the customs of their people and shar-
ing memories that r dear to their
race? Experience of the allies has
proved that 1t is wise to keep races
together in this world-war. We see
the Irish regiments fighting as a unit,
the French are by themselves, the
British are with the British, the AUS
tralians are lined up in one body and
the Canadians also are fighting in a
group. Great Britain has kept her
East Indian troops together. All this
seems eminently proper. OF course,
it may be argued that the SPANISH
Americans of New Mexico are as
American as the boys from other
states. They are, undoubtedly, as
much citizens of the United States as
the residents OF Oklahoma or Florida.
But the best results Will be obtained,
1t seems to me, In keeping people
who are brought UP the same, in N
body.
1T also seems proper to have Span
ish-Americans as officers for the
Spanish4peaking troops. When a sol.
der can go to. his officer and con
verse in the tongue that is most ia
miliar to him, there is greater salts
faction, greater comfort. W
Spirit of competition
There is another reason why !
should favor a Spanish-American reg
iment and that is because of the
competition engendered, the praise
worthy desire to keep up the front,
Put this regiment on the fighting line
and its men will be SURE to feel an
honorable pride in e~ndeayOring to
ildkS TIE fc6iiliSht uiniihbuiohSu ~
has ever been, thus.
Il can not see any ground for crit
icism of the suggestion to have the
Spanish-speaking boys In n regi-
ment. Any talk of class distinction
or race prejudice In connection with
such a suggestion strikes me as pure
The Spanishrspeaking
young man N not going to feel he is
Disseminated against because 1t has
been decided best, for efficiency sake.
to keep him in q Misunderstanding
regiment. And we must remember
there may be many boys from the
rural districts who do not speak
much English, II any at all. They can
do the hest work training and fight
inc side by side with their com
padres and differed by men who
speak fluentiy their language and are
in sympathy with their social, relig-
ious and other customs"
Mr.. Martinez talked briefly on the
subject when he was In the city Sat
saying that he had not heard
word Of opposition to the plan ana
could see no reason for any oppsi-
tin. 'If the Spanish-speaking guards
wuld like to be together, for the
sake of greater efficiency, who would
wish to deny them this privilege?p' ne
asked. "a boy taken away from home
and SEN to a, training camp far away
and later to a foreign land, is natur-
ally apt to become lonesome. He.
would feel happier to be among the
friends and companions of his YOUTH