The Washington times., 1920-06-03

sons. The Mexicsn general set up =
republican emperor fFom time -
time. In accord with their own de-
sires and ambitions. Yesterday II was
carrans4. "our First Chief. "our Be-
loved Leader"-but for the moment,
and all right reserved TO Kick him
out and suicide" him. N necessary.
Today Ii Is obreSon. hail-feiio~-weli-
met. the chief with a smile and q slap
on the back for everybody! And to-
morrow. somebody else. anyone at ALL
provided he promises TO giye what ms
predecessor failed TO give. because
there are not enough easy berths In
the Mexicon government TO accom-
modate all who weuld like TO MI one
Varieties In Ges~rsis.
Mexico, only such generals as be-
lonsed TO the regular army. soldiers
by profession, like the professionai
soldiers of every other country. NOW
there are generals and generals
There are generals appointed by car
ranxa. There are generals created ty
villa. There are generals msnutac-
tured by Felix Disx. There are gen
erals counterfeited by Zapsta- VINO
Is not a general down therey During
my visit in Mexico City. whenever
was introduced 10 a simple colonel
rubbed my eyes for second iooN'
and almost with pity for the poor Ie.u
low. whats wrong with this man
l thought. He's not even . or'ka-
dier."
Another point of difference between
miIitarism in Europe and that OF
Mexico. In the Old World. the gen
erzI carries q sword and swesrs by IL.
The Mexican general In the makeup
supplied by the revolution. does not
know what q sword iA He never
wore one. He carries . revolver In
his belt, and I can imagine him swear
ing a theatrical oath: by my six
shooter"
All Are BeiIieose Beys.
Whether generals or colonels. they
are all boys. scarcely of voting age;
boys scandaIously immature and still
infected, for the most part, with the
beIl!cose aggressiveness and perver-
sity of the youngster In the prepara-
tory school. Most of them held small
Jobs under the government of Porfirio
Diaz: or else. they were ordinary Ia
borers, or even idlers, neer-do-wells,
who enlisted under the revolutionary
banner and managed TO win the little
gold eagle which is the symbol OF
their present grade. The highest Origi-
nal social rank that I found repre-
sented among the general was that or
university student. Scattered among
the few officers of urban origin there
are generals who were formerly
"rancheros," cowboys from the cattle
ranches. These illiterate rustics lister.
20 their city-bred comrades with wide
open mouths. and kindle at every
mention Of the words liberty" "de-
mocracy," redistribution of prop
erty." and SO on-phrases they do not
understand at all. but which send
thrills of sacred conservation up and
down their backs whenever they hear
them!
All these generals boast Of their
humble origin, and go out Of their
way to refer to 1t as q title or dis
tinction. Some of them are Socialist
generals" while others claim even to
be Bolshevists. However, their com
rades" of the rank and file must be
careful not to carry the principles OF
brotherly love into matters OF dis
cipline. The citizen general" Is quite
capable Of ordering a hundred execu-
tions or SO just to keep order" The
generals. as a rule. hate uniforms.
Many of them never owned one. They
pin the gold eagle to coat lapel. or
to their enormous felt hat. and they
are ready for dress parade.
"Pnpa and Mamma's Pistols.
The, generals outfit has one other
distinctive mark-the revolver. l re-
me mber that, as a boy, I used to no.
tice how generals in Spain, France.
and other European countries, when
they were in citizen clothes, wore red
sashes under their waistcost4. This
was an indication of rank, and when
they wished to be recognized. they
simply lifted the flaps of their vests.
The Mexican general also has a sash.
but a sash Of tanned leather, a Sam
Brown" affair, stuffed with fifty car
trides or more, and a revolver usually
worn in back. When. as you walk
down a Mexican street. you meet a
gentleman with the lower part Of his
vest unbuttoned. just enough to show
the belt and the cartridges. you cannot
be mistaken. He is a general, or at
least a colonel. "of the revolution -
He is taking his pistol out for a con-
stitutional.
And what guns they wear! II you
have never seen the revolvers of the
Mexican war lords. your education is
still incomplete. The widest dreams
of the most delirious German fire.
eater who ever lived are surpassed
by realities in Mexico. There are ma
chinegun pistols. There are pistols
with folding stocks that can be in
simultaneously transformed into rifles.
There are large-bore pistols made for
firing explosive bullets. left the
country without getting to see the
famous papa and mamma" pistols.
But was assured by people whom
trust, that there are pistols in Mex
leo which, when they are discharged,
say papa" or mamma like the me-
chanical dolls Of the toy shops. Some
of them even play a piece of music.
When Generals Disagree.
At times you meet a short. hollow
chested, neurotic looking fellow-fne
points, these, in regular soldier.
You wonder whether that Is man,
or what In the world 1T is. There is
no doubt in this case either. This
time 1t is a pistol taking general
out to walk. Then again you are sit
ting in n train and suddenly you start
with surprise. A general has Just
vanished through a little door marked
Gentlemen" but before hurrying
away he has taken off his belt and