The New York herald., 1922-01-01
MeXico's Situation Has Ele-
ments Like Dry VS.. Wet
Fight in America.
BEVERAGE PECULIARITIES
Pulque Takes Beers Place and
Mescal and Tequila Are Most
Intoxicating.

Special Correspondence to THE New YohK
HERALD
MEXICO CRY, Mex. Dec. 2G.-Prohi-
bitionists, who year ago thought
that they were on the high road to-
ward making Mexico as "dry" as the
United States, but met with disap-
pointment, are again full OF hope be-
cause Of President Obregon's an
nounced interest In plan to put an
end to the manufacture OF pulque and
mescal by forbidding future planting
of the maguey (agave americana)
plant.
Pulque and mescal are two potent
native alcoholic drinks which are
blamed for much of the misery Of the
poor 1t Is asserted that pulque de-
stroyed the great To!tec race builders
Of cities. which ruled in Mexico for
centuries and then vanished, present
ing mystery OF disappearing race
that has become one OF the great rid
dies of history 1t is also asserted that
pulque and mescal threaten to de-
stroy the Mexican people In the lower
walks of life. particularly those who
are descendants of the Aztecs and
other native races.
But these two assertions are not ac-
cepted as facts by those who have made
fortunes In the manufacture and sale OF
pulque and mescaL These say that while
II Is probably true that the Toltecs
made pulque from the maguey plant
there is no real proof that the Toltec
race was destroyed by too free use OF the
beverage
AS to the destruction OF the Mexican
poor OF the present day, these say the
sta tements OF prohibition propagandists
are exaggerated. just as many state
ments made in the United States were
exaggerated during the long struggle to
bring about prohibition. Advocates Of
the continued manufacture OF pulque
and mescal say that these drinks. or
pulque Mt least were the solace of the
natives during the centuries OF oppres-
sion suffered by them after the Spanish
conquest.
Pulque Is Called n Tonic.
Pulque, they assert. Is really tonic
which has made II possible for the poor
to live upon their meager and rough
food for generations They say that n
person must consume large quantities Of
puluue to become intoxicated and deny
that the beverage Is as poison to the
system. causing the destruction Of the
kidneys and other internal organs.
The arguments pro and con are along
limos familiar to those who listened 10
the prohibition discussion in the United
States. with just enough variation to
adapt the discussion 10 conditions pre-
sented IN Mexico.
Pulque the cheapest OF all alcoholic
beverages IN Mexico, has the appearance
Of sour, diluted skinned milk and the
taste suggests sour milk. Among the
poor II takes the nlace Of beer In other
countries IN which alcoholic liquors are
still sold The puldue shops date back
further than any other business houses
OF Mexico city Their gaudy. fantastic
decorations are said 20 retain some inflv-
ence from Aztec days when Mexico was
an indian empire and Montezuma ruled
the land. They welcome the half naked
abtect poor. who would be welcomed in
few other places. In these places the
weary peon Is "at ease In mine own
Inn"
While II would be possible FOR the
Mexican Government 20 close the puloue
=hons and curb t.le Fale Of the beverage
IN this canital and other cities. Il would