Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-12
MEXICAN CAPITAL
CITY OF THE DEAD"
Illiteracy and Revolution Keep
Republic Far Away From Shar-
ing in Worlds Advancement.
w,,hur Forrcst in The New York Tribune.

at il a City of the Dead There isn't
any other description. Here you are
looking Mt civilization stagna'ed.
This statement was voiced few weeks
ago in Mexico City The speaker was n
young man Of the old Cientifico class, a
member of one of the aristocratic families
Of the past which thrived under Porfirlo
Diaz. He was back in the Mexican capi-
tai again, incognito, after many years
of exile with his family in Paris. He fought
for France in the Foreign Legion and
was aching at the time talked with him
in Mexico to fight for the Mexican people.
mot that my class in Mexico ever
did much for the peon." he explained
"The peon got-what you call 1t In English
the worst Of il. But my class did not
tear down Mexico 1t was not destructive
but constructive. Look at Mexico, this
city, today and tell me if you don't think
it is the city of the dead
From where | stood with this young
Cientifico, immaculate in his Paris clothes,
on the Alameda, pretty little park IN the
heart of the city, glance around was
sufficient to see some truth IN his out
burst. At our right was Mexlco's National
Theater. a building far enough along
in construction to show that its architec-
ture would compare with anything OF
its kind in the United States or Europe.
It's white marble walls climbed almost to
a gaunt steel dome left stark naked by the
workmen who abandoned 1T at the hrst
shot of the Madero revolution. For
almost ten years it has stood this way
until an entire wing has started TO bury
itself as if in shame, in the spongy soil
on which the city is built. Clashes win
dows. roughly boarded, complete pic
ture of blight.
Just bevond the theater stood Mexico 9
postoffice, a building that would do Just
credit to one of Americas largest cities.
The last tile was clamped down before
the revolution broke and 1t stands
there a credit at least to one faction OF
the past in Mexico.
A glance along the Avenida Juarez
disclosed at the end the blackened skele-
ton of another enormous pile. For many
wears. since the Diaz regime decided thai
the Mexican nation should haye a House
of Representatives second 20 none or
| the North American continent, thr
enormous structure has stood In It's skele
| ton-like aspect, shrieking out the evn'
| OF revolution.
A turn in the opposite direction cast
| the eve toward the great plaza down The
| long street named for Francisco |. Madero
| Stately trees. once nalf hiding the great
| old cathedral on the left, are gone, sweep
awav by military men in order that rifles
and machine guns might be aimed WITT
| better accuracy. Directly ahead and OF
| +be right of the cathedral, built on tht
| foundations Of an ancient Aztec temple
| stands the long. two-story government
| building. the National Palace, monu
ment 10 The Cicntifcos and their thirt,
wear reign. What goes on there now
| tearing down Mexico.
| And so goes ''stagnavion of civilization
and progfess throughout the lengto anc
| breadth Of what years ago was the glitter
| ing Paris of Latin America. NJ
| ravetv which once surrounded the streets
| the theaters and after-theater restauian
| ~ night is gone Beautifully gowneC
women and immaculate men IN evenins
dress nave disaDneared. In their Dlact
von see the streets of a caultal almos
| deserted after 10 o'clock, restaurants
| devoid of women except the painted Ittlt
mattresses VINO cGrrv trays of fiery liqJ o.
| tn tables usually nabited by Carranz'
/ army officers and tneir friends. Drunker
| brawls are frequent and many times
| guns are drawn.
| On New Yeal' S nigh, accompanied by
| { lends ! visited the afe Colon, once ;
nlace where spic and span turnouts stopped
| IL discharge fashionable after-theate
/ diners AS we entered Mexican soldier
! s+or,ped everyone to search for weapons
/ In the inner recess of the place anothe
| entrance led to a dance floor frlng3d witt
tables. Here, again, everyone wa
/ searcned.
Riotous celebration was going on INSIDE
A few Mexican women were there, bu
thew were mostly actresses and other
| whose profession flourishes just now
| the Mexican capital Among the men
| was able TO pick out eight or ten Germans
FIVE or SIX Americans, a couple OF English
men there mainly to seek some atmos
| pbere of hilarity In celebration OF the 0iru
Of the New Year Mexican army officer
OF the variety you may see IN Mexico lily
much be-uniformed. stood about III groups
conspicuOusly armed and eying me woihe,
The great broad boulevard which lead
from the center of the city toward Chapu
tepec was deserted as we emerged 1roi
the Colon, except for few struggling FOR
cars hawking fares. We walked back
tho nIaza. Huddled in doorways of buiiC
ings around the plaza, within a stone
throw of the National Palace, drawn clos
[
give warmth to another, were those VII
were not celebrating the birth OF 1872
Covered often with miserably thin an
frayed zerapes and SOMETHING'S n'
covered at all, they awaited the dawn Z
the New Year in slumber. As we wake
along the principal busines streets OF Ii
Mexican capital that night few doorwa.
were uninhabited. Here and there dc
had crept in with huddled mass OF h
manity-street waits, old men, old wome
Mexico City, at an altitude of S,0(
feet above sea level, lying in BASIN e
tireIy surrounded by mountains, deveiol
low temperature at night during wlnt
months though by day the sun brings
: springlike warmth. But the sun, workii
strictly on the celestial union basi
plunges behind the mountains at the pr
scribed hour, Eliminates the clouds al
sky with indescribable blends of color f
few moments, then surrenders to tW
light.
Darkness comes. Business in Mexi
CITY ceases Merchants mainly fC
ers-tbroughout the city bolt tht
doors. draw heavy steel curtains dow
over the windows and go home. III