Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-08-07
the western part Of carranaa's own
state Of Coahuila.

|
and they would today be in possession
of that much-needed border port but
! for the fact that they brought about
American intervention In their plans
| by firing over the border into the Texas
city. The Americans did not go to
! Juarez to help Carranza, as some peo-
pie think, but solely for the purpose Of
safeguarding the lives Of Americans on
the Texas side Of the Rio Grande.
The next more important rebel
force In Mexico is that under COM
mand of Manuel Pelaez, who dominates
the oil-producng regions Of the Tam
picO country. Pelaez has under his
command 5000 well organized and fair
ly we'll equipped men. The value Of
! tie foreign oil interests in the ter
! ritory in which Pelaez Is operating Is
estimated at more than 100000, 900.
Pelaez is said to be pro-ally in senti-
ment, and to this is due in large part
the failure Of the Germans and their
Carranzista sympathiZers to gain con-
troll of the OIL fields while the Euro
pean war was actively under way.
Allies Like Meixuerio.
Under Guillermo Meixuerio, In the
state of Oaxaca, is another rebel force
of several thousand well organized
men. Carranza has made desperate
hut Intellectual efforts to dislOdge Meix-
ueriO who Is easily one of his most
feared opponents and whose record Is
such as to win the sympathetic approx
al of the allies. Meixuerio is full
blOoded Zapotec, lawyer, and man
of fine education.
Next In Importance among the rebel
groups is that commanded by Felix
DIaz. Under Diaz, according to Off
cial information. there are approx
mately 5000 men. The Diaz forces.
however, unlike those under Pelaez,
Angeles and Melxuerio. are loosely or
ganized and are said to be In great
need Of ammunition and other war ma
terlals. Despite this handicap, how.
ever, the Felicistas. as the DiaZ reb-
els are known, continue to he force,
and all the efforts of CarranZa to
break up the organization have failed.
The Felicistas are operating In the
state of Tnmaullpas In the north and
ir part of Hidalgo, Puebla, and Vera
Cruz in the south. The southern Fe-
licista area forms the center link In
the rebel ocean barrier.
The state Of Morelos and small parts
Of the states of Mexico and Guerrero
form the area In which the famous
Zapatistas are and have been Operat
ing for the last seven years. AS
e., tn Al
situation there can be dismissed with
word. Cantu Is In absolute control
Of that part of Mexico, and CarranZa
is making no effort to interfere with
the Independent state that Cantu has
set up.
smuggIe Arms In.
The seventh of Carranza's troubles
are the Yaquis of western Sonora.
They are operating in bandit groups
and number probably several thousand
Like the Villistas, they are armed and
equipped by smuggling from the United
States. The YaQuis are among the
hardest and best fighters In Mexico.
End little If any effort Is being made
y tie federal government to restore
de- In that part Of Sonora under
Il 'ir domination.
Lastly. the bandits. Official reports
lave that everywhere in Mexico the
outlaw bands are to be found. Their
number Is unknown. but they are
powerful enough to hold the attention
of considerable part of Carranza's
Lard-pressed little regular army Of CO.,
600 men.
Briefly. what precedes gives the line
up Of the factions that are fightings
for control Of Mexico.
Here are some Of the facts, officially
established, that have resulted from
the countrywide internecine strife in
Mexico.
Economically Mexico is in the midst
Of a crisis which is characterized by
the intense poverty and the actual want
Of the great mass of the people. The
morale of the population everywhere
vas never lower than Mt the present
time, The general health of the peo-
pie Is everywhere bad. Cattle raising,
the principal industry Of the nation, is
today only about ten per cent of what
1t was In 1914. OF all Mexican in.
dustries, the growing of henequin alone
shows progress. All textile factories
and sugar mills. with few exceptions,
are out of business. and those that are
operating are run down and in need OF
repair Practically all of the com.
try'S 10000 miles of railroads are de.
moralized or destroyed as a result of
rebel and bandit activity. Not cent
of interest has been paid on the ma.
tional foreign debt in more than five
years.
More than Is per cent Of the popu.
latiOn is now absolutely illiterate. The
national credit Is gone. and the for.
eign oil interests are, despite the ap.
parent friendly attitude of Pelaez
menaced. AS an indication of t.is
health of the people, latest reports es,
innate the yearly death rate in Mexico
City is 21,00O, while the reported birth
rate is only 1900. 1t is believed how
ever, that correct census would show
a larger birth rate. although the 1850
estimate is official.
AT the present time all reliable re-
ports coming out of Mexico indicate
the precarious condition Of the Carran-
"a government. Carranza has been
during the past three years probably
the most pro-German head of state
In the western hemisphere.
orenIy Pro-German.
Until recently his attitude has been