Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-18
LAND RULED TEN YEARS
+. BY zAPATA IS RECLAIMED
Mexican Rebel Chieftain Forced to
Eracuate State OF
MorcIos.
TAKES REFUGE IN MOUNTAINS
Government Troops Control Prop
crty and Guard NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Are Started and Clothing Is Car.
iicd to Naked Populacc.

MENICO CITY. March 1.-THE State
OF Morelos. just south of this city. is
completely under the control OF gov
eminent troops after being overrun for
ten years by bands commanded by
Imiliano Zapata. campaign con-
Quoted by General Pablo Gonzaels.
has been OF ths nd fees
hundred followers being driven into
The almost impossible mountains near
iurhta de Ixtcla. on the boundary be-
tween Mexico and Guerrero. His cap
turc. with that of his chief licutcnants,
Is expected almost any day.
Cuerncvaca. which has been held by
government troops for several months.
Is rapidly approaching a normal condi-
ton. although the Zapatistas during
their occupation of the town stripped
timber and unroofed nearly all the
houses and public buildings. So scarce
Was material for clothing while IA
pata held the town that his men looted
the cathedral. and the people who re-
manned there tell of seeing the rebel
soldiers wearing trousers which were
made out OF what were once valuable
General Gustavo Elisondo. a former
Rough Rider. who is in command at
Incrnaraca, reports the discovery OF
a cave In the mountains which Ia
nata. who seldom entered cities had
ms headquarters. The cave is said to
be ten miles in length. and was used
as warehouse for supplies and am
rnunitioa.
Thirty REBELS SURRENDERED
DAILY TO GOVERNMENT
An average of thirty Zapatatistas
are guaranteeing to General Elisondo
aaiiy. giving up their rides: for which
10 serve in the government armies,
they arc accepted and sent 10 the
northern states.
trip was made from cuernavaca to
Cututia. the principal CONNIE rcial cen
ter OF The state. and on the way a
number of Zapata's former stronghold
we're visited. Government forces are
stationed at ALI strategic points, one
~ which is Tetilla passes, where. on
May !. 1918, government regiment OF
suo men was ambushed and massacred
Nearby IS a valley several square miles
IN extent. which is covered with dense
scrub growth. This was the refuge OF
a large number OF zapatistas. but the
ioya! soldiers. by guarding the water
render OF nearly all the rebels in a few
The country between cuernavaca
sugar re1neries representing invest
nents totalling millions or dollars.
Iney arc surrounded by sugar planta-
lions which were allowed TO run to
waste h. the rebels
METALS AND TIMBERS
TAKEN Bf ZAPATIsTAS
Every stick of timber and every
round or saleable metal was torn from,
the rcfneries by Zapatas men. Tho
cistrict near Cuautia where General
Gon i;s mas MS Headquarters shows
results or tho governments program
OF dividing Up tho great estates among
the people. with the cooperation OF
the -psop!ietors.
the fields. while the town of .Cuau,la
Is being rapidly rchabilitatcd. The
absence OF state government for ten
years and the lack OF funds. however
Tt.l In. fE.- vl,
plan under which former field workers
Eavc chance TO earn a email farm
at the end OF ten years by sharing in
the crops raised on the land. The
the old system under which the whole
state OF Mo-elos was formerly divided
into twcnty-eight estates, owned BY
fourteen families.
Capacity is entirely inadequate. TO ac-
cornmodate the hundreds OF children
seeking admission. one may see evil
ocnce OF the conditions which have
children. some OF whom are fifteen
and sixteen years old. IN the first
civilian clothes they have ever seen.
They are especially interested in
countercd only the cotton-clad Zapa :
tistas or uniformed government SOL
diers.
GUARD BRIDGE WHERE
HUNDREDS WEIR; SLAIN
Except for the extreme southwest
section where Zapata has taken refuge.
the whole state is quiet, and there has
not been a skirmish reported in weeks
In addition to the resumption of rail-
way service between Mexico City and
Cuernavaca, the inter-occanic railway
is operating trains between Cuautla
and this city. The trains arc run
without armed escorts. but strategic
points arc well guarded. especially the
bridge at Nepartla, where. 1t is est-
mated, 5000 civilian railway passen
gers were slaughtered By Zapatatistas
during the ten years of rebellion.
During the first months that the
government occupied Morelos the
Xapatistas were suspicious and offers
OF amnesty were ignored. but when at
least several hundred had given up
their arms and had received the prom
ised guarantees. the majority of those
rnlna ininC with the rebel chief Ia stem