THE MEXICAN TROUBLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1240, 2 May 1914, Page 4

THE MEXICAN TROUBLE.

WILSON AND HUERTA. Two men who stand out prominently in the Mexican trouble are President Wilson and General Huerta. Here are sketches of the men. President Wilson, whether Republican or Democrat, friend or 100, every fair-minded, and well-informed citizen must admit (says the writer of the American letter in the Otago Daily Times) that Mr Woodrow Wilson is to go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents. Heretofore there have been only three who have stood out conspicuously from the rest as both wise and great executives—Washington, Lincoln and Cleveland. Roosevelt, for all his marvellous energy and brilliancy of speech, surely could never be called a conspicously wise statesman or one who gave the majority of citizens a feeling that there was an absolutely safe man at the bead of the Government. While Mr Roosevelt talked on every conceivable subject, Mr Wilson has followed a directly opposite course. He has held his verbal fire until the time came when be copld make it telling. Tfie net impression he has made is that of a strong man following a course which he had carefully marked out lor himself in advance; his time not his own, but for publice business ; relaxation only lor health, and not for the entertainment of friends and the public. And in following this course he has shown the constant application of 3 will that has a spring like fine steel to the despatch of p.ihlh affairs. o f co - ;se there is much talk of Wilson’s luck. Circumstances were certainly uncommonly favourable to him, yet even with all the luck in the world only a man far above the common run, once or twice in a generation, could have equalled

bis achievements and have held such a firm band upon the lever of the governmental machine. HUERTA. An interesting picture of General Huerta was given recently by a leading New York banker, who has just returned from Mexico, where he knew the Provisional President well. He is a dictator of the old school: a man of great ability and quick decision. He will not tolerate opposition. Last May the Mexican Congress considered a project for a new loan which Huerta desired. Congress thought the terms exorbitant. He sent for some of the leaders. “ I need this money,” said he, very simply, “ without it I cannot put down the banditti warfare now raging. I wish to co-operate with you, but, remember this—l am a soldier and if you don’t do what I want you to do look out,” Later on he placed the entire Congress under arrest; but the man who does not hesitate at this ruthless use of power is as simple and unpretentious as a country grocer on Independence Day. The banker watched Huerto surrounded by the Cabinet ride in State under an escort of cavalrymen, to open the Chamber of Deputies. ”He rode down the famous street of Silversmiths in evening dress, his coat covered with medals, and a broad ribbon carrying the colours of Mexico crossed his bosom. He was surrounded by a handsomely - uniformed mounted guard. Two hours later I sat in the Cafe Globo eating my dinner when an automobile stopped outside and Huerta, dressed in a wrinkled old grey business suit, wearing a slouch hat, and without a single guard, entered the bar. He called for a drink, and stood there alone. ‘‘ Huerta likes to dine at restaurants, and it is not at all uncommon to see him taking a drink at the bar of the Cafe Colon, or eating dinner at Bach’s Restaurant. I have seen him come into Bach’s Restaurant and walk from end to end looking for an unoccupied place at a table, and by and by some American would surrender his seat. It is not that tbe Mexicans are discourteous — they are the most polite people in the world —but Huerta has been seen so frequently in these places that he has made himself common.” Many of the acts which have been most harshly criticised were ordered after Huerta had spent some hours in a restaurant. One night he had been drinking at a cafe at a late hour, and everyone was blissfully content, when in walked one of his old cronies. For years this man and Huerta had been companions in cafes almost every evening. Huerta slapped his old friend roughlylou the back. ‘‘ Why aren’t you at headquarters, Mr Chief of Police?” His old friend stared at Iluertß in astonishment. “Take charge to-morrow,” said Huerta, “ I mean it.” Huerta is not without a sense of humour. Once a commission from one of the States called at his bungalow at Popotla. After the commissioners had concluded their business he personally conducted them about the place. In one room were some handsome bookcases, “ Let me show you my library,” said he throwing open the doors. The commissioners found that the shelves of the “library” were cases filled with a variety of bottled liqeurs. “ These books” said Huerts, “ always make the heart merry.”