The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-19
MEXICO AS A MAN
FROM CHILE SEES 1T
Chilean Journalist Tells I'm.
pressions on First Landing
at Vera Cruz.
HAS AGREEABLE SURPRISE
Finds Many Preconceived
Ideas About Revolution
Are Absurdities.
BIZ FELIX NIETo DEL RIO,

BIZ FELIX NIETo DEL RIO,
OF the Sto1 Of tho Dtnrio Ilustrado,
Santiago, Chile.
specially toritten for the Lattn Americas
Section Of TIE SUN.
We have passed through a tempestu-
Gus night. 1t IL o'clock in the morn
Ing and the boat, creaking like an old
wicker basket. enters the port, the sight
OF which is quite indistinct, the light Of
beacon being the only spot Of bril-
liancy. Tho coast prolongs it's thin line
In unknown directions and the sea
breaks bravely against the shoals, while
we turn to face the wind. waiting for
the ciearness Of the morn. The waves
now ana then wash the decks with fury
and drench the early risers who are
minsling with the sailors. who are
dressed In their black oiiskins.
An uncommon Amusement 10 felt te-
fore an unknown land. This first Inn
preston. at times magnificent and in
dehnable. b what first satisfies our
curiosity. For me this coast of Mexico
Is the land Of the legend. like India.
Cyprus and Greece. because OF all the
souvenirs Of my childhood none has re-
manned so fixed In my mind as the mar
ration Of the Conquest of Mexico writ
ten by Don Antonio de Soils. a work that
was read to me by the deacon in the
study hall OF gloomy Jesuit seminary
many years ago.
Mexico Of the human sacrifices, the
imperial Tenochitlan whom Cortes con-
quered. the vast kingdom where the
Mayas and the Aztecs were acquainted
with the laws OF art and the mysteries
OF astronomy-thoughts OF these things
are mixed in my mind with the turbulent
hi4t0ry NJ l.
and princes break into the picture with
their civil strifes.
Enters A. . Brother.
The proud soul Of the Indian. the I'm
mense art treasures and the torrents of
hatred and generosity in which this race
prolongs Its secular martyrdom, provoke
an almost NEUROLOGICAL respect for this
land whose coast line 10 now seen moro
clearly as the clouds OF the lawn dis
appear.
/ enter Mexico not as a stranger but
as brother OF this Mexican family.
do not come with prejudice OF a cit
lien belonging to a democracy such as
Chile, founded on the basis OF an In
violable peace. but with a heart full of
hope for the future OF Mexico, a great
and populous and rich nation. without
the concurrence Of which there can be no
Pan-Americanism.
! am a writer OF South America,
trained after the French school: conse-
Quently what have to think and write
upon seeing the destruction and gran
deur Of the Mexican revolution, will be
from a point of view far different from
those writer's who can only deplore the
disadvantages and never appreciate the
advantages Of q social upheaval. The
fact that I come TO Mexico Ut tho re-
quest OF a certain Mexican institution
does not deprive me Of the absolute in
dependence to form my own opinion of
the country and its present crisis. But
my intention ia not to i'll many pages
with pure politics. but to include all this
country has to exalt the enthusiasm OF
the observer-the relics of the past Its
respondent sun. its dusky people, the
typical aspect of its cities
Before the woody hills OF Vera Cruz l
take of my hat as Cyrano on the
Franco Hispanic frontier to salute the
most doleful peopl OF the continent, the
sentimental, sensible and sensitive"
land. as was said on one occasion by the
great Dario.
The boat approaches the dock of Vera
Cruz. The authorities make a threaten
ing examination OF the passports to iden-
tify each person entering the country,
az the Government is careful to prevent
all those individuals who took part in
the Dictatorship of Huerta or later Sc
ditious uprisings from entering the
country. The attitude OF these Official
agents makes me understand that the
political passion has not yet died out in
the hearts OF these men. so poorly
dressed and having the aspect OF mes
tizos.
Here for the nrst time I see the type
OF the 'pelado" (penniless Mexican),
dressed with a light suit of white
"Manta" (bleached cotton) and sandals
and protected against the sun by an Inn
mense hat. A little later I discovered
that some Of them carry In these hats
various objects which the rest Of human
creatures carry in their pockets
The morning is clear; the sierra Is
Is nothing to suggest this being tho
land of the cruel god Huitchzilipotzii.
Some pretty girls with their fresh
faces and gay colored costumes add a
note OF frivolity to the crowds who
are fatigued and sad. The porters go
back and forth with perfect ease as
though in no hurry whatever to make
any money. Eclectic" (iittle chief) In
the first word that fascinates me in the
language Of this Mexican rabble. so
typical, 80 defined and perhaps the most
picturesque in Latin America.
Watches Mexican Faces.
l examine with profound curiosity the
expression OF these people as imagine
that each individual must have ex-
perienced the tragedies or been a char
acter in the Mexican history through
Its long and painful revolutionary
scourge. I recall all the terrible stories
told 70 me and cannot help being I'M
pratndicAd tine