Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-04
Special to The HeraldD

NAE&AA0O OAAAN 49,
Father Time moves along the path
of modernity, as progress in SCI
ence, aviation, radio and rapid
motor transportation sweeps Mex
leo along in its course. the land Of
the Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs con-
tinues gradually 20 surrender to
civilization. abandoning into the
national scrapbook customs and
habits, some that date to pre-his-
toric days, some that 60 back to
only a century ago, and surrender
ing romance and glamour TO the
staid conventionality Of the twenti-
eth century.
The latest characteristic Of Mex
leo City to succumb TO the inevi-
table, not without a sigh Of regret
on the part Of the residents. is
sEl Paseo' or the promenade as
il might be called in English.
There is a long thoroughfare that
cuts through this city, linking
through a distance Of three miles
the heart Of the city-the. Plaza de
Ia Constitution or the Zocalo, as II
iS8n0re commonly known - with
cHpultepec Castle. Chapultepec
Csstle-"The Hill of the G~rasshop-
per" as the word signifies-was once
the home of Aztec emperors, and
il IS now the Mexican White House.
The Plaza de Ia Constitution is
the kernel of the country; the
crawbridge that leads to the seat
of government. II is a wide square.
The park in the center a brief half
score years ago was thickly wooded
with magnificent trees that n
Mexican executive deemed too pro-
pitious as possible as machine gun
nests. He had all the trees chopped
down. Now the park in the center
c! the Zocalo is an attractive grass
plot dotted with harmless shrub
berry and great green patches OF
grass, we'll kept.
Shops Invade
The Zocalo IS a square, flanked
on one side by the ancient National
Cathedral, admittedly the largest
Catholic temple Of the new world.
The National Palace. seat Of the
Government. occupies one entire
side, and the Municipal Palace or
city hall, a building with native
tile tables as its principal mural
decorations. stretches along anoth-
G. side. The fourth unit OF this
quadrangle Is composed OF buildings
of colonial design. once private
residences, with their yard and a
half deep walls. but now converted
Il house present-dav bars. candy
stores. hat shops, and general de-
partment stores.
But in the center OF the plaza
still stands a kiosk. a music stand
trat vies with the Cathedral in
tradition and fac. as 10 the origin
az "El Paseo" Six blocks OF the
thoroughfare that leads from Cha
%puitepec TO the Zocalo constitute
what is now known as Avenida
Esrarcisco 1. Madero. named after
iexico's martyred president. a sue
cpssful dreamer. illusionist and
sriritualist. father Of the movement
against the great dictator Porfirio
Diaz, who was catapulted into exile
and death in 1911. Avenida Madero
Is a comparatively narrow street. II
forms of the three sections of
TIE t~horoughfare between the Zoe
alo and ~Chapultepec park
Autos Displayed
The other two links Of this thor
oughfare are the Paseo de IA Re-
fcrma. the Mexican Champs Ely
see, a broad and beautiful avenue:
and Avenida JIarez. the interme-
date stretch between the Paseo de
Ia Reforma and Avenida Madero.
Along n side Of Avenida Juarez
spreads the Alameda-Nexico Citv's
Central Park-and on the other
side buildings that once were resi-
dences OF the past ~aristocracy now
have automobile display rooms and
the like. Avenida Juarez IS as
broad as the Paseo de IA Reforma.
twice the width of Avenida Ma
dero
"Ei Paseo." or the promenade. has
teen since the middle OF the nine
tenth century until a brief month
or so ago the social hour for the
who's who and would be who's
WHO" OF Mexico CITY. The Paseo
v-ss exactly what the word imnlias
he promenade. The American bus
mess slogan that time is money was
FORGOTTEN bv the rich. near rich
ard never-wil be-rich: by the So
cal lights. the social lights tina.
nay be. and those that pretend -
r. but never will be. the lure Of
- promenade eclipsing everything
sIhis parade OF ieFitimates. near
legitimates. Observation-Disclosures and