Evening star., 1942-06-06

The movement, I was told by
Lie. Alexandra Carrillo, we'll
known editor and Congressman,
is still incipient and slow in its
development because it Is coming
by way of labor unions, where
the women are working against
the pressure of numerically supe-
rior numbers of men.
Mothers Day was a day Of
great rejoicing in Mexico among
the feminine population. The
Presidents wife decreed in OBJ
servance Of the day that all
sewing machines held in the
pawn shops Of the country
should be returned to their origi-
nal owners without benefit of
payment still due against them.
The day that I visited one Of
the pawn shops owned by the
state there are % Of them) the
women were standing in long
lines claiming their sewing ma
chimes with happy faces, and
taking them away with them in
any way possible, even pulling
them along with a rope on i'm
provised wheels.
These pawn shops are a Mexi-
can institution. The first one
was built by Pedro Romaro de
Terreros, Count of Regla, as a
charitable organization. (The
great-grandson Of the Count
married an American woman,
Elizabeth Curtiss, who today runs
her own tourist business in Mexi-
co City0
In these pawn shops, which
really serve as banks, every one
comes to borrow money, in any
amount from 5 pesos up. The
goods they bring as security is
appraised and held for six
months. If not reclaimed at the
end of that time, 1t is auctioned
and any surplus obtained is re-
turned to the original owner.
Even merchants find this con-
venient way to dispose OF surplus
stocks, and to the Indian and to
the small-income groups it is the
national bank.
Mexico City is a city of monu-
ments. Even as I write these
lines the main thoroughfares are
being hung in black as evidence
of the city's mourning for the
newly dead, victims of the Axis
torpedoes in the Gulf. There
will be a monument for them,
and one body specially chosen for
the honor will be buried immedi-
ately in the monument which
holds the ashes of Mexico's heroic
dead.
Whenever something untoward
has happened. and much un-
toward has happened in this
country of frequent revolutions.
a monument is placed. Under
construction now is monument
of imposing size to be called the
monument of the Americas. 1t
will face upon a boulevard to be
renamed The Avenue of the
Americas" evidence of Mexico's
approval of the new hemisphere
solidarity.
At the monument of the Eter-
nal Light a volunteer guard
stands watch each day at noon
for Is minutes, bringing with
them fresh flower wreaths. These
volunteers come from the ranks
of the business houses and serve
as an honor guard.
The enrolment of women in
defense efforts has not yet begun
here, though the war relief
groups of foreign nations are &C
tive and the Red Cross drive has
been very successful. However.
plans are made to begin this Or
ganization with Red Cross classes
in first aid, and now that Mexico
is actively in the war new devel-
opment will come quickly. For
these are an enthusiastic people
and the pro-Ally feeling is volubly
expressed at every opportunity.
In the demonstration against
the Axis held on Sunday. the
oath of May, women marched
side by side with the men, though
in fewer numbers than similar
demonstration in this country
would attract. The intent faces.
however, made up for their fewer