The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-02
MEXICO CITY, WITH NO POINTS,
 ATTRACTS MANY
Ry HOWARD ?, MORGAN

MeklCo Otty, Apth NOED-WaE may he hell, but you would never believe it to look at this wartime" capital of nearly two million people,
 Mexico City Is tho only major metropolis left in the hemlsphere without rationlng of any klnd. Prices have climbed but there ls more money ln circulation and the capitol has assumed curiously an unimiS. takable carnival air,
 People are coming here to forget or escape-the war, not to feel it, The normal tourist traffic of school teachers, the once.unblquitous Am- erlcan motorlst and the like, have dropped of nearly to zero, but Q new kind of wartime travel has taken It's place In boom proportions.
 Scores of Americans, alone and with their families, have been pour. ing into Mexico City to stay for the duration. They include many people who in pre.war days were known as the international set" on the Riviera, In Shanghai and Singapore, They include also a sprinkling of would.be draft dodgers, but their number Is being gradually reduced as result of Mexico Washington agreement on mutual check-up ot "eligibleS" fo army service,
 Mexico installed Its own draft after declaring war on the Axis 10 months ago and draft.age foreign CTS may ind themselves caught in 1t.
 Many U. $. Alrmen
 You sec more and more American uniforms on capital streets, Mostly they are U. s. Army Ar Corps Men, on their way to or from Caribbean duty or here on furlough. Their wives come down from the United States and they spend a brief vacation sightseeing in Mexico,
 There is Q constant stream of U. s. government "experts" travelling to Mexico and other Latln- -Ameri- can countries on official missions, buying strategic materials or at- tempting to Iron out prioritles for Latin.A American consumption.
 The influx of travellers Is bring ing still another class of tourist, !" the entrepreneur, more widely known as the promoter, Many Of these are restless American busi- nesSmen, hoping to turn Q quick and ready dollar In Mexico. Some of them arc investing in marginal mines whose operation has been stimulated by U. s, war induStry'S demand for strategic metals. Oth- CTS have gone home disappointed; {; still others continue looking.
 Mexico is experiencing real in- fiation of It's own which may have dangerous consequences If govern ment regulation doesn't check 1t, but Mexican prices still are lower than American peaks and the per- son wanting to escape the U. S, housing shortage, expensive serv. ants, rationing and other wartime hardships considers Mexico Q tenn. porary paradise.
 The irony comes in the fact that this migration is speeding the up. ward spiral of Mexican living costs toward U. 8. dollar levels.
 Hotels At Capacity
 Leading capital hotels are full almost constantly. Airplane seats are nearly aS hard to get as in the States but, paradoxically, one U. S, airline recently hauled Q Texas tourist party to Mexico while res. ervationS here were almost impos- Sible without priorities.
 A $2,O0O000 racetrack recently opened here, bringing horseracing back to Mexico City after an abe sence of Q quarter of 0 century. The opening days crowd passed 4S,000 and bet more than @ million pesos (above S200, ,000).
 Night spots have blossemed all over the city, from plain juke joints to luxury layoutS that would do credit to Los Angeles or Broadway with prices to match.
 They are twice as many places to 90" and spend money at night in the capital than there were two years ago. 4 theater chain recently obuEtCo VHGt0bAOtAs OktS VI tt6 HIOVAC palaces is in new suburban dis trict and scores of people think nothing of driving or taxing Q mat ter of l2 miles round trip and pay ing almost New York prices to sec the latest Hollywood film.
 No Fuel or Tire RatlOning
 Government war taxes have iri- creased gasoline prices c little less than a cent U. s. a gallon, but no rationing of either fLsi or tires is at the moment in sight.
 There are consumer hardships as in the United States. Silk and Nylon stockings are $8 pair, if you can get them. Canned goods are scarce and expensive. Clothing is much more expensive.
 But in Tony'S Curararha you can buy sirloin steak as big as Q New York telephone book for 30 cents American, with French friends on the side.