The Coolidge examiner., 1932-12-09
Prepared by National Geographic Society
Washington, ID. C.-wNU Service.

washington. ID. C.-WNU Service.
lEXIC0 City, North Americas
MI oldest metropolis, recently
hailed a new president. AL
most as suddenly as Pascual Ortiz
Rubio resigned, Gen. Abelardo Rod
riguez became the new master of
Mexico's white House"
Mexico City Is an astonishing
place. Things have happened here
so strange and unusual that were
they not set down In authentic rec
ords they would tax all belief. 1t
looms largest in the mind of the av-
erage American because of its su-
premely important diplomatic rela-
tions with Washington, growing out
of the many old, unsOlved questions
between the two republics; but In
modern, superficial aspects 1t is not
unlike some other Latin-American
capitals. II has old palaces, parks,
paintings, and libraries; colleges.
converts. great newspapers, and
broadcasting stations: likewise dip
lomats, soldiers, traffic jams, and
jails. II buys and sells. and makes
soap. soda water, shoes, shirts,
candy, cigarettes, furniture, ma
chimes, and textiles.
Sit In one OF its theaters and
watch a news reel; swim, dance,
play golf or tennis at a club, or
land at Balbuena field In a passen-
ger plane from FL Paso, and-except
that you hear Spanish instead of
Yankee chatter-you might as well
be in Denver. In fact. the high
light and nearby snow peaks much
resemble the scenic settings of Col
orado.
But under all this standardized
modernism Is much more-a blend
of Spanish and Aztec forces that
goes back 400 years. You see signs
of this, now and then. in fiat, three
cornered Aztec faces moving stolld-
iy in street crowds. Probe the mys-
tic past and you find that certain
historic events staged here swayed
the destiny of our continent for CEN
turles. Here Christianity got its
first foothold in North America,
when idols were turned into affairs
and a glittering hut cruel pagan cul-
ture yielded stubbornly to European
civilization.
Here Americas first sheet music
and first book were published. Here
its first money was coined. And
here, too. appeared the Flying Mer-
curry" Some have styled It Amer
ica's first newspaper" but more
likely 1t was but a pamphlet on his
tory or political discussion.
When cortez Came.
Imagine yourself in Mexico City
that fateful day in 1919 when Cor
tez came. (You remember his first
arrival was peaceful; the dreadful
% days of fighting, often hand-to-
hand, come on later visit.) Mon
tezuma, glittering with jewels and
golden decorations. gorgeous in his
royal robe and gOld-soled sandals,
came to meet Cortez and escort him
into the island city.
Unseen till then by any white mans
eye, the greatest city in North Amer
lea is astir with pagan life. Could
you have been there. walking and
talking with Cortez and the En-
peror Montezuma. you, too, would
have marveled as the Spaniards did.
Down a broad, Fifth avenue-like
thoroughfare Cortez and his amazed
men followed the Aztec emperor.
Throughout the yenice-like city ran
canals crowded with thousands of
busy canoes laden with passengers,
fruit, fowl. flowers. grain and fuel.
Stone buildings lined both paved
streets and canals. and on a great
plaza stood the palace of Monte
zuma's father. faced by great teo-
CALI or sacrificial temple.
Here, in 1925. the Aztecs first
saw the symbolic snake and eagle
and built their first temples. Here.
in 1921, was staged one of the most
bloody of all cOmbats between Az
tee and Spaniard, when Spanish
prisoners of war were sacrificed to
the idols. Undoubtedly more peo-
pie were executed here than at any
other spot on earth.
Here Iturbide was proclaimed EN-
peror in 1922. Here the American
general. Winfield Scott. raised the
Stars and Stripes in 1S47. and here,
twenty years later. the Emperor
Macmillan bade sad farewell to his
friends before he faced the firing
squad. So on through the Dlaz,